Encore of the Show
by KatyRye
Summary: Someone from the past is bringing the CSI's worst cases back to life. GSR and more. EVERY CHARACTER.
1. Chapter 1

**Dear Readers,**

 **This is the story that was once 'The Past Revisited' and 'The Nights without Stars', so -expo facto- you have already seen the trailer for it. Now that we have an entire show, my story OCD needed me to start over, merge the two stories, and give you a thorough storyline. Now that I know where Grissom, Sara, Nick, D.B, Catherine, and company is… the more exact and realistic it can be. Believe it or not, I also found myself faced with another question: How do I present it to you? I was wanting to do this in script form, but I read around and I can get my account deleted for this. It is against the rules.**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Las Vegas, Nevada_

 _1:15 am_

"Frankly, I don't really care if you think it's my team's fault or not. We handed the evidence over and if your guys broke the chain of custody then it is on you," Catherine Willows said as she walked towards her office.

She looked at her phone in disgust, pressed the red phone as angrily as she could, and tossed it amongst the files on her desk. It landed on top of a tall stack, but the the movement caused the entire stack to spill over. Papers scattered across the tiled floor and the CSI let out a stress-filled sigh.

"Hey umm," Mandy Webster said, poking her head into her office. "I know you have a lot on your plate tonight, but… there is something going on in the AV lab."

Catherine groaned. "What is going on in the AV lab?" she asked, her patience wearing thin.

Mandy seemed hesitant. "You need to come look," she said. " like… right now."

~8~

"What's the problem?" Catherine asked.

Greg Sanders pointed at the screen. "Someone is running our computer remotely," he said with urgency. "We've been trying to block them, but our fire wall has gone down. We can't get it back up."

"Alright," Catherine said, snapping into action. "Turn everything off. Restart the system."

Greg did what she said. "If someone is in the mainframe," he explained. "This won't help. There's no telling what this person has had access too."

"Did you call IT?" she asked, opening her phone.

Greg nodded. "Yeah, but I don't know if they have been able to ping the IP address."

"if they hacked the department mainframe," Catherine said. "Then whoever this is has access to everything: case files, fingerprints…"

Greg restarted the system, but nothing appeared. A cursor blinked on the bottom of the screen and soon it began to type. What it was spelling out made Catherine Shiver?

"Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows, Nick Stokes, Greg Sanders, Sara Sidle, D.B Russell, Morgan Brody-" Greg said as he read the names the cursor typed out.

It was on every screen, in every room. The green letters kept typing, repeating each name continuously. Catherine reached for her phone.

~8~

 _Quantico, Virginia_

The ringing phone pulled D.B Russell out of a deep, sound sleep. He looked at the readout and was surprised to who was calling. He slipped out of bed, being careful not to wake his wife, and took the phone into the hallway.

"Catherine?" he whispered questioningly.

He hadn't heard her voice nor seen her face in nearly six years. When he had left Las Vegas, they had kept in touch, but as it sometimes happens, everyone drifted apart.

"D.B, we need your help. Someone has broken down and obliterated the city's firewall," she said. "IT is trying to get it back up, but there is no telling what the hacker has accessed on the mainframe."

D.B rubbed his eyes. "Okay," he said, looking at his watch. "I'll go in and get back to you as soon as I can."

~8~

 _San Diego, California_

"And you can take this too," Missy said, thrusting a ring into his hand.

Nick Stokes closed his eyes and touched his forehead to the wall. "Baby, I've been tryin'," he said. "I just work a lot."

"Yeah," Missy said, grabbing her duffel bag and giving him one last look. "Well you have all the time in the world to work now."

She slammed the door to his apartment and his dog, Sam, padded out of the room and into the bedroom. Nick didn't blame him- it was too early for this. In his pocket, his phone vibrated and he quickly grabbed it, hoping Missy had had a second thought.

"Baby, look just come back inside-" he started in his warm texan brogue.

"Well, baby you may have to wait a while," he heard Catherine say.

Nick smiled. "Catherine Willows," he said. "A blast from the past. How are you?"

"I'm fine, all things considering. Look, you need to know that the city's mainframe was hacked and we have reason to believe that you and a few others may be in some kind of danger."

Nick wrinkled his forehead. "Danger?" he asked. "What kind? What do you mean?"

"Our computers began to run themselves and a list of names started to appear on the screen. Mostly … well… us," she explained.

Nick pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. "Like who?"

"You… me… D.B… Greg… Grissom… Sara," Catherine replied. "to name a few."

Now Nick was worried, and he pulled a suitcase from the closet. "A few?" he asked sarcastically. "You're right. That's us."

~8~

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

"Here's the boat," officer Bryant of the APD said as he escorted the members of the Coast Guard onto the deck. "It docked here and we heard the crying. Luckily the boat isn't registered, but we don't need a warrant for vessels."

"Thanks," Gil Grissom said, shining his flashlight around.

Beside him, Sara Sidle raised her own light and began to move toward the back of the boat. "It's coming from back here," she said to her team.

Being the only woman in the group, the men followed her example. Not because they wanted to humor her, but because she had earned their respect- not all pregnant women could still walk around at work and hold their own, especially in their line of work. She pushed a door open with her foot and shone the light into the dimly lit storage room.

"Be careful," Gil whispered to her as she entered the room.

When she entered she saw the cages and put down her light. She hurried over to them and peered in at the baby seals. They were all tightly packed together and there was cage on top of cage. Each small animal looked terrified, and they were all crying for their mothers.

"Oh, don't worry," she said to to the yipping pups. "We're here."

"How many cages are there?" Gil asked walking in behind her.

Sara looked around and counted. "Nine, maybe ten," she said. "And they're packed in like sardines."

"They're back here!" Gil called to the rest of the group.

Sara and Gil left the small room so that the officers could photograph the room and carry the cages out. Sara put a hand over her mouth and quickly walked back toward the dock so she could get fresh air. When she emerged from the claustrophobic space, she leaned over the railing.

"You okay," Gil asked her.

Sara shook her head. "I hate that people think they can play God," she said. "It makes me sick."

Behind them the Coast Guard officers carried the cages out one-by-one. Sara and Gil both turned to watch as the crying animals were loaded onto a truck and their cages opened.

"They'll be rehomed," Gil said, trying to soothe her.

Sara leaned against his arm. "What's sad is they were ripped away from their family," she said. "Their mothers."

"Let's go back to the office," he said, putting a hand on her back and guiding her down the dock.

As they walked Gil's phone chirped. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, looked at the screen, and then back at Sara. She stared back at him and motioned for him to answer the phone.

"This is Grissom?" he said tentatively.

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **A/M: Well, this is what I am kicking out. A way to tie it all back together. Let me know. -Katy**


	2. Chapter 2

**Dear Readers,**

 **Let me take this moment to talk about myself and my style. I study EVERYTHING before I write it, there is always a reason and I have beaten you to the punch. If you see something you don't agree with, let me know, but do know that I already anticipated it. I know why I do it, where to do, and when. So, while I understand questions and such, know that I know what I am talking about. I watch videos about the topic, read, and ask people. Trust me, do not panic. I know.**

 **Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

Sara stood at the kitchen counter in bare feet. She was currently multi-tasking and juggling between being on hold with the U.S Coast Guard, filling out paperwork, and making an after-school snack for her daughter. She had been on hold for what felt like hours, but she wasn't about to give up- offices always gave her the runaround after a rescue.

"My name is Dr. Sara Sidle," she said when she was finally connected. "I am a civilian worker for the US Coast Guard and I run an animal rehoming organization with my husband. Today we assisted in the rescue of a boat-load of baby seals that were-"

Sara pursed her lips as she was interrupted. Being pregnant was good for her patience, and a lot of people had figured that out the hard way. Whenever her patience was wearing thin, Gil disappeared.

"Well, that's all good, but I am more interested and making sure they are rehomed to the proper habitat. You wouldn't want to rehome a furred Harp seal to South America. What I am trying to do is make sure we have appropriately identified the species first."

Sara was quiet as the pencil-pusher she was talking to babbled on. Behind her, the front door opened and Gil entered with their daughter, Emily. Sara set the snack she had prepared on the table and pulled out a chair for the little girl to sit in.

"Well, you don't need to worry about it because that is one thing that our company does. We can identify the animal and make sure it is rehomed to it's natural habitat, and that will also increase the chances of bringing families together," Sara explained as she stroked her daughter's head.

Gil opened Emily's backpack and pulled out her classroom folder. He looked at all of the work the teacher sent home, and he looked over the homework that had been assigned. They paid tuition at a Montessori school, and most of the work sent home too was advanced for children Emily's age. Though the little girl struggled with it, her parents helped her.

"Okay, expect us tomorrow then," Sara said as she hung up.

She tossed the the phone on the counter and let out a exasperated sigh. She pulled out a chair to sit with her family and Gil slid her Emily's folder. She pulled out a test that had been taken that day and frowned.

"Em, we went over all this," she said. "You knew it."

Emily put down her sandwich and shrugged. "I forgot," she said.

Sara handed the folder back and stood. She put a hand to her belly and walked back to the bedroom. It took her a moment to realize that Gil was following her, but she didn't stop. She was exhausted and needed to lie down before she fell down.

"What did they say?" he asked.

Sara shrugged as she climbed onto the bed. "The usual bull," she said. "We'll have go tomorrow before they open to make sure we get to the pups before they're transferred."

Gil took one of her feet and began to press on the sole of her foot with his thumbs. Sara closed her eyes and leaned back. Inside of her, their son was swimming around and using the walls of her uterus as a kick-board- at least that was what it felt like. She was eight months pregnant, and the child inside of her was running out of room.

"I don't see how going to Vegas is going to keep us safe," he said. "Anchorage is safe and plus, we have a lot of work to do."

Sara sat up. "I… I really think we should consider it," she said to him. "What if Catherine's right?"

Gil thought for a moment. "If something happens, we'll go. We can't just pull Em out of her school for God knows how long. And look at you … you're about to pop."

Sara scoffed at him. "You just called me fat!" she joked. "I can't believe you just called your poor wife fat."

"I didn't call you fat," he defended. "but I think it'll be better if we just stay home. We're safe here."

Sara laid back down. "If you say so," she said sarcastically.

~8~

 _San Diego, California._

"Larry, you got this," Nick said to his co-worker. "I'll just be gone for a few weeks tops."

Nick's new job as Lab Director of the San Diego crime lab had opened him up to an array of new responsibilities, but he also had the privilege of meeting new people. His next-in-command was Larry, but at the moment the man wasn't too keen on being put in charge for a few weeks.

"Look, just sit at my desk, do your job, and feed my dog," he said, dropping his house keys in Larry's hand.

"What… where are you going?" Larry asked.

"Some friends need my help," he explained. "I'm going to Las Vegas."

~8~

 _Quantico, Virginia_

"Have the pinged the IP address?" Avery Ryan asked.

D.B wrinkled his brow. "They did," he said. "But the location is well... everywhere. It was pinged in almost every U.S state, and most of Canada."

They were in Avery Ryan's office located in the cyber crimes division and the CSI headquarters in Quantico. He had left for the lab as soon as Catherine had called him, and he hoped that his friend could do something. Computers were not his area of expertise, but he was catching on.

Avery was interested in this. "Sounds like someone is mirroring IP addresses and bouncing those addresses off of other mirrors to create a type of umbrella effect. They can try to track each one, but I guarantee you that they will change by the minute."

"Why a crime lab?" D.B asked. "We don't have anything that would be of use to anyone. Just names and evidence that had recently been loaded onto the system."

"For precisely that reason," Avery stated. "Evidence. A lot of government mainframes had already been hacked, it was just a matter of time before it was LVPD. And phishers can do it quietly, someone wanted you to know they were in there and what - or who- they were after."

"What can you do? I'm the scientist here, you and your team are the cyber geniuses," D.B said.

Avery shut a folder. "We can go to Las Vegas," she said with a smile.

~8~

 _Las Vegas, Nevada_

"I don't know what I can do to help," Jim Brass told Catherine. "I haven't been on the force in years. Most of my contacts are gone."

"You can come and consult. Jim, this involves you too," she said. "This involves all of us. There is no telling what personal information these people have gotten ahold of, and the fact that they have exposed themselves tells me that they want us to know that they are there."

Brass brought his tumbler to his lips. "Just catch them when they reach through the open window again," he offered.

Catherine raised her eyebrows. "When did you become so knowledgeable about cyber-crime?" she asked.

Brass shrugged. "Security," he said with a grin.

* * *

~8~

 **A/M: Well, let me know. I feel smart. REVIEW PLEASE. It urges me to continue. I need to be coaxed.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Dear Readers,**

 **So, last night I tuned in to see CSI: Cyber — to see our man Ted — and… am not very impressed. I love Ted and the episode was good, but the actors are …. not up to par. It is hard to write Avery Ryan, I don't really care for her. The lab tech gets on my nerves, and FINALLY they swabbed something. But what the hell is that lady doing, she has no business swabbing. In my opinion, if the say "The CSI's have cleared the scene" … then… you are not CSI.**

 **P.S Finally discovered how to do the Em Dash on my Mac.. yes! I feel accomplished!**

 **-Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

"Daddy," Emily's sleepy voice whispered.

Emily shook her father's arm insistently until he opened his eyes and looked at her. He looked back at the bedside clock — that was on Sara's side — and groaned; he could have gotten another hour in.

"Daddy," Emily whispered again.

Beside him, Sara was snoring softly. She had her body contorted around a body-pillow that had replaced him three months ago. He sighed, sat up, and put his feet on the cold, wooden floor. It was November and that meant colder floors.

"What Em?" he said, rubbing a hand over his face and looking down at the little girl.

Emily climbed into his lap and put her small arms around his neck. "There is someone outside my window," she said into his ear.

Gil groaned — this wasn't the first time this had happened. Emily had an active imagination and since Sara had gotten pregnant again, it had kicked into overdrive. She would occasionally come into her parent's room with stories of monsters in her closet, trolls in the walls, or people outside her window. But with the news Catherine had given him, he wasn't about to brush his daughter's fears away as nothing.

"Probably just the bushes, bug," he said to her as he carried her back towards her bedroom.

Because of the plug-in night-lights Sara had in the hallway, Gil noticed the things around him as he walked with his daughter, her head on his shoulder. Sara loved their house — a spacious, one-story home on the waterfront — that they had purchased right before Emily had been delivered. They lived like nomads for a little while, but they knew that a child couldn't live like that. A baby needed stability.

"Where was he?" Gil asked, flipping the light on.

Emily's bedroom was a typical child's bedroom. It was cluttered with toys and stuffed animals, but was happy nonetheless. As older adults, who never thought they'd have children, they spoiled their daughter. But not out of being intolerant of her, but love. Emily was still taught to mind her manners and respect people.

"There," Emily whispered to him pointing to the window.

Gil stepped over the toys and made his way to the window at the far side of the room. He parted the mini-blinds, butt only saw the overgrown hedge he needed to trim. He separated the slats wider so his daughter could look out.

"See, bug. No one," he said, patting her on the back.

Emily poked her lip out and buried her face in his neck. "No, he's there!" she sobbed insistently.

"Okay, I believe you," he said carrying her out of the room. "You can rest with mommy and I'll make breakfast."

 **~8~**

 _Somewhere between Nevada and San Diego…_

" _All my exes live in Texas,"_ Nick sang as he drove his truck down a deserted stretch of highway.

Though it was mid-afternoon, the traffic on the highway was nonexistent. That suited him fine because he could sing along with the radio without putting on a show for passerbys. Since his new job came with a hefty raise, he had purchased himself a satellite radio. He enjoyed the continuous, commercial-free music.

He was in mid stanza when the radio shut off. He looked at it with utter bewilderment and began to press various buttons. Soon, a low frequency buzzing sound came through the speakers. This sent chills down his backbone, and he quickly shut the radio off.

"A little silence is great," he assured himself as he drove.

He continued to sing to himself and he tapped the steering wheel rhythmically as he drove. His phone — that had been laying in the center console — began to ring and he quickly answered it with one hand.

"Stokes," he said in a friendly voice.

He expected to be greeted by Larry's voice stating that he was overwhelmed, or Missy — he hoped — calling to reconcile. Instead, he heard the low frequency buzzing sound that he had heard over his car speakers.

"No thank you," Nick said as he powered off his phone and tossed it in the back. "No sir."

~8~

 _Las Vegas, Nevada_

After everything that had happened, the LVPD decided to try and go off the cloud, and go — what Catherine called — old school. Today Greg was sent out in response to a reported four-nineteen at the Hotel Monaco. He was accompanied by Lindsey Willows and Morgan Brody. Both women were close friends of his, but he only looked at one in a romantic sense — the other he had known since she was nine.

"Do you feel like a pimp?" Morgan joked to him as the trio stepped onto the elevator.

Greg smiled with pleasure. "I feel as if I have a spring in my step with you lovely ladies," he teased in return.

When the doors opened onto their floor, he pretended to walk with a swag and more bravado than he had before.

Morgan looked at him seriously. "This _is_ a crime scene," she reminded.

Greg straightened his walk. "This job desensitizes a man," he responded.

The officer standing outside the door was one that Greg was very familiar with. He gave the man a salute as they set down their kits to don their gloves and booties.

"How are you today, Mitch?" he asked.

"Alright," Mitch replied. "Your body is in the bathroom."

The three CSI's walked through the carpeted hotel room and made their way to the bathroom. As they entered, the two women set down their cases and set to work. However, Greg stood and stared. He couldn't believe his eyes, but he was the only one in the room who knew what he was looking at.

The body was of an older man. It was laying — face up — in the room's porcelain tub. There was a single gunshot wound to the chest. One leg was propped up, the window in the main room was open, and a tape recorder sat on the lip of the tub.

"What is it?" Lindsey asked.

"I know who did this," he responded. "but the killer's been dead for nearly fourteen years."

~8~

* * *

 **A/M: Well, let me know what you think. Girls — and guys — I got me some chicken. THAT'S where this pimple came from. All this fried chicken, but there is no ranch here in Korea. So, now that I got me a bottle from Seoul… it's chicken and ranch! Review please … it makes me work harder for you, my friend** s.


	4. Chapter 4

**Dear Readers,**

 **I really love to write, and I want to thank all of you for suffering through typos. I self edit and usually go through stories and find mistakes. I should get a Beta, but I am so stubborn. Also, if I have Morganders fans… or another ship… make yourself known. I will do my best for you.**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

Gil swiped his employee card and opened the door so that his family could enter. It was nearly seven in the morning, and they wanted to arrive early so that they could categorize the seal pups and do the necessary paperwork before the animals were transferred. Emily was used to going to the center with her parents. Being an Alaskan-born resident, she was accustomed to different kinds of animals. Her mother schooled her on animal safety and respect, while her father taught her how to classify them and about their natural habitats.

"How many were there?" Emily asked as they walked down the hallway towards the garage.

"About fifty or so," Sara replied, looking down at her small daughter.

Emily's eyes grew wide. "Oh, poor things!" she said. "We need to help them."

"We are," Gil said. "And you are playing a big part by minding us and helping out. Your helping animals."

Sara smiled at the father-daughter interaction and rubbed a hand over her belly. The baby inside of her had been less active that day, but Sara wasn't concerned. Emily had slowed in activity before she was born too.

"Here we are," Gil said as he opened the door to the dimly lit garage.

There were only a few other scientists at work, but more were not expected. Sara slipped Emily's coat off of her and draped it on a rolling chair at one of the desks. Gil pointed to the see-through above ground pool that had be erected.

"Look," he said to Emily. "They're pretty happy right now."

Emily walked over to the pool and pasted her face to the edge. "They're so cute!" she said.

Sara waddled over to an incubator with a clipboard. "Oh, I didn't see these guys," she said. "They're young. I'm surprised they made it."

Emily came to stand beside her. "Do they drink milk?" she asked.

Sara stroked one of the pup's head with her pinkie. "Maybe so," she whispered.

Behind them, Gil slipped on a pair of gloves and gently lifted a seal from the pool; it immediately began to cry. The two other scientists had walked over to speak with him. He pointed to the seals flippers and told them various facts about it. Each man nodded, and then Gil called Emily over.

"See this," he said, extending the flipper and nodding to Emily to stroke it. "These little brown spots fade as he gets older. This is a Gray Seal. It needs to live cold areas because of its fur. It's probably from right here in Alaska."

Emily listened intently while Gil talked about the animal. When he was finished, he sat her down and, placed a towel in her lap, and he showed her how to feed it. As they offered the little animal scraps of food, Sara was busy entering data onto one of the computers.

~8~

 _Las Vegas, Nevada_

Back at the lab, Greg Sanders poured over the evidence that had been collected. He was still in utter bewilderment at what he had seen, and he didn't know what to do. His first instinct was to tell Catherine, who was, besides him, one of the only CSI's that knew the impact of what was about to be revealed. He also knew one other thing : someone needed to call Gil Grissom. This was something that was too big to keep quiet.

"You texted?" Catherine asked as she entered the layout room.

Greg looked at her with a serious expression. "We have a big problem," he said. "And I don't doubt that it has to do with the mainframe hack."

Catherine stepped closer. "What?" she asked him.

Greg motioned to the photos. "I think we have a Paul Milander copycat," he said. "We even found a tape recorder."

Greg handed her the recorder and she looked back at him with wide eyes. "Did you play it?" she asked.

Greg shook his head. "I wasn't sure if you wanted me to yet," he explained.

Catherine took a deep breath and pulled a box of latex gloves off of a shelf. She slipped on a pair, took out the recorder, and pushed play.

" _My name is Royce Harmon…"_

~8~

"We should call Grissom," Greg said to Catherine as they walked towards her office. "He's going to want to know about this."

"Greg, I talked to him already. I haven't told him about this, but I will. I just don't want you to think he'll come give us a hand. He… he wants to protect his family and he thinks coming back here is not in their best interest. I think we have to count him out."

Catherine sat at her desk. "Well, who?" Greg asked. "Who else is going to help us who knows about Paul Milander?"

"Me," they heard behind them.

Greg turned quickly and Catherine stood up. At the door stood Nick, with a duffle bag over one shoulder and his familiar smile. Greg laughed and walked to hug his old friend.

"Nicky," Catherine said, coming around to embrace him.

When Nick pulled away, he looked at both of them seriously. "Did you say Paul Milander?" he asked.

~8~

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

After they left the center, Gil took Emily to school and Sara headed to their office to electronically file all of the paperwork. Their office wasn't in a building, but was stationed in the cabin of their small boat — the _Ishmael._

She grabbed a water from the cooler, kicked her shoes off, and sat down at the table to start her work. The cabin of the boat was like another home to her. She and Gil had used it as their home, and it was all they had needed when it was just the two of them. They could travel whenever they felt the need, but it was most useful for docking and catching marine poachers in the act.

Now that they had Emily, and their son was on the way, they had a more stable life. She didn't regret how things had changed. She never thought that raising a child and guiding it could be so rewarding. They had both changed for the better because of their choice to have children, and she wouldn't trade it for anything.

As she sipped the water, she logged one with her username so she could access the system she needed to use for work. Though they ran the rehoming organization, they still needed additional income. Gil was known by reputation for his knowledge and expertise, but she had gone back to school for her PhD in physics and was currently adding to her resume.

They both were employed with the U.S Coast Guard, but as civilian workers. They weren't allowed to go on dangerous raids, intercept vessels, or anything of that sort – but they were needed on the scene if poached animals were discovered. Instead, her job was to map ocean currents, while Gil's was to study insect-born diseases.

Sara opened her contacts, found the number she was looking for, and tapped it onto her phone. As she waited for it to connect she leaned back and let out a sigh— she wanted the baby to hurry up and make its debut into the world. She was getting anxious, not just because she couldn't get comfortable, but she was ready to hold the infant in her arms.

"This is Sara Sidle," she said when the call was connected. "I'm calling to confirm that you received the information on the Gray Seal pups that need to be transferred," she stopped and listened as the man on the other end spoke. "I also want to recommend that we keep them in Alaskan territory. There's a pod near Bristol Bay, and we think they may have been taken from there."

As she spoke, Gil climbed down into the cabin. As he passed his wife, he gently massage her neck. Sara tilted her head back at him and gave him a smile.

"So, call us back when you're en route," she said into the phone. She hung up the phone and turned to her husband. "I don't have a lot to do today," she whispered to him. "You should take me out for lunch."

Gil gave her a grin. "Of course I will," he said.

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **A/M: Yes, I got more chicken. For my ranch... I need a little chicken with my artery clogging RANCH!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Dear Readers,**

 **How are you? I am fine. I know I have a lot of stories to update, but don't worry. I will not forget them. I have only seen the finale once. I will see it again. I don't like to mess things up. reviewwwww reviewwww !**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Las Vegas, Nevada_

Technical services had run their diagnostics and tests, but were unable to find a breech in the system's mainframe; whoever had hacked the system had gotten in and out undetected. When the computers were restarted, the green words were gone, but the paranoia remained.

"Hopefully IT is keeping an eye on things and if he sneaks back in, we'll be able to nab him," Catherine explained hopefully.

"I am not too sure it will be that easy," Avery's voice said from behind her. "If he got in once, I bet he still has a foot inside."

Catherine stood straight and turned with authority. She was operating on little-to-no energy and her patience was wearing thin. She didn't need anyone from the outside coming in to evaluate her problem, but then again maybe she did and pride was getting the best of her at the moment.

"Well, are you just going to stand their and tell me what you think, or are you going to help think of something?" she asked with a challenging smile.

~8~

D.B poked his head into the break room and found his old teammates seated around the table. He felt a rush of nostalgia and smiled. When he had left— along with Sara— the atmosphere had changed in the lab. It was a fact that life went on, but having coworkers that felt like your family made everything more bearable.

"Family meeting!" he called jokingly.

All at once everyone's heads snapped up; Greg was the first to stand. He walked around the table to firmly shake his old supervisor's hand. Behind him stood Morgan and Lindsey; they both hugged him warmly. The atmosphere had changed in that moment. Everything seemed a little brighter and carefree.

"The gang's all here," D.B said with a broad smile.

Greg looked around. "Nearly," he said.

~8~

The first time Gil Grissom was contacted, it had been by Catherine. This time Nick decided that he wanted to take the wheel and speak to him. He understood why he had declined to come back to Vegas— Anchorage was a safe city. As he waited on the call to be answered, Nick thought about what he would say. He hadn't spoken to Gil in a long time.

"Grissom," he heard when the phone connected.

A wave of remembrance washed over him. "Griss?" he asked. "Hey man, it's Nicky."

"Nick?" Gil asked. "How… how did everyone get my number?"

"Catherine gave it to me," Nick responded as he took a seat. "Look, buddy I just wanted to give you a heads-up about a few things that have been going on around here."

Gil sighed. "I would like to help you guys," he said. "I would... but I have other obligations now. I have children to think about. I have to put them first."

Nick nodded his head in agreement. "I know it man," he said. "but hear me out. There is a Paul Milander copycat here and I just wanted tell you that. I know it was pretty heavy for you."

Gil was quiet, but after a few seconds he finally spoke. "Paul Milander?" he asked.

"Yeah," Nick replied. "The COD, the message, the lack of evidence… it's all the same man. Greg saw it with his own eyes. Even the guy's name — Royce Harmon."

"Send me the photos," Gil responded. "Send me what you have. I'll look at them. I need to see this with my own eyes."

~8~

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

"Honey, what's wrong?" Sara asked.

After lunch, Gil had drifted away in thought. Every time she had asked him a question about something, his mind seemed to be in a different place. Pregnancy paranoia was playing its role in her own imagination and she wondered if he was angry with her.

"Earth to Gil Grissom. This is the mother ship," she said waving her hand in his direction.

This made him look up at her. "Do you need something, Dear?" he asked.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked. "I've been talking to you all afternoon, but you've barely said ten sentences. Did I say something?"

Gil looked at her questioningly, but then understanding finally hit him. He sighed, shook his head, and stood so he could walk over to her.

"No," he said. "I'm fine. I just… I got some weird news."

He embraced her warmly and planted a kiss on the top of her head. He was torn between telling her about Nick's call. He didn't want to worry her over nothing, but they never kept secrets from one another. It was a promise that they had made when they had reconciled years ago.

"Nick called," he said. "He says that they have a Paul Milander copycat. The crime scene was exact."

Sara pulled back slowly and looked at him. "And what do they want you to do?" she asked.

"They didn't ask me to do anything," he said. "but I asked for the crime scene photos. I need to see this for myself. Greg wasn't a CSI at the time, so maybe he was confused."

Sara grew quiet. "Will you go to Vegas?" she asked.

Gil shook his head. "No, we're staying here. We're safe here and we have to think about the kids. Our little boy will be here in a few weeks."

Sara rubbed a hand over her belly. "I know, but what if they need you?" she asked.

Gil cupped her face. "No, I need to be here," he said. "This is our life now."

~8~

Emily's school wasn't far from the boat, and when it was time to pick up their daughter, Gil and Sara walked together. They loved living in Anchorage. It was one of the smallest cities they have ever lived in, but there was enough action that they didn't feel out-of-the-loop. In Anchorage, you could depend on your neighbor or a stranger to help you. It had taken Sara a while to get used to it, but she loved the openness. The wildlife was also a welcomed and majestic part of life Alaska. They could take Emily to the state park and would often see a family of elk or bears.

"Mommy, Daddy!" Emily called out as she ran to them.

Gil stooped to catch the little girl. He lifted her up onto his shoulder but frowned a little as he did. They weren't as young as they used to be, but having children made them feel younger.

Sara took the little girl's backpack. "What did you do today?" she asked as she unzipped the bag.

Emily shrugged. "Work," she said simply.

Sara pulled out the blue folder that was used for classwork. She opened and, while they walked, she looked over the papers. She pulled out a picture of three people holding hands. Sara recognized them to be her, Gil, and Emily. The figure that was her's had a circle drawn above the stomach.

"You drew me pregnant," she laughed. "Good job!"

Emily laughed. "My teacher said it's a happy picture," she said.

Gil took the drawing. "It is a happy picture," he said.

~8~

Nick sent the photos and after dinner Gil printed a few out to study them closely. He didn't have any of the original Milander case photos, but he remembered the scene all too well. It made his skin crawl at just how similar it looked.

"Daddy, what are you looking at?" Emily asked as she walked over to him.

Gil stacked up the photos smoothly and set them on a high shelf. He helped Emily climb into his lap. "Nothing," he said to her. "Are you ready for bed?"

Emily nodded. "I brushed my teeth?" she stated.

Gil looked surprised. "Does your breath smell good?" he asked.

Emily nodded with pride and breathed into face. "See?" she said.

Gil smiled. "It's heavenly," he said, hugging her to him.

"Daddy, what it that man comes back to my window?" she asked.

Gil felt sad for his daughter. He remembered being young and convinced that one of his curtains was a face. The bow of the curtain looked normal to him during the day, but at night it changed into a face that had a menacing look. At night, he would hide his face under the blankets, but he could always feel it looking at him.

"You tell me if he comes back," he told her. "nothing is going to hurt you while Mommy and I are around. He needs to go bother someone else."

Emily nodded. "I love you, Daddy," she said as she hugged him.

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 **A/M: Well, it's hard to write Avery… cause… ya know…. I don't really like here. I just want to have Catherine be mean to her. That scary curtain was my own childhood fear. It was a big bow that scared the pickles out of me. Sadly, I am out of ranch. If you would like to donate… let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Dear Readers,**

 **How are you? I am fine. I noticed that reviews have been low. Is that because I post before a lot of people can read or because the story sucks? I hope that it does not suck. If you guys have any points that you want to make, let me know. I hope you are enjoying the story.**

 **Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

Emily sat up in bed and rubbed the matter out of her eyes. Light began to filter in through her bedroom curtains, yet it was only before four in the morning. She didn't know any other way of life; she had always only known the premature arrival of the sun. She didn't know that it was different in other parts of the world.

She needed to go to the bathroom, but, despite the fact that it was growing lighter in the room, she was afraid. Her mother kept nightlight-plugins in her room, but what she relied on most of all was the flashlight that sat on her bedside table. Quickly she grabbed it and shined the beam around the room. Even though she only saw the toys that cluttered her floor, she felt on edge; she was too young to understand why.

Bravely she threw back the blankets and hurried towards the bathroom. The light that was filtering into the house made the white walls look dark grey. Her mother kept the same plugins distributed along the hall, and in the bathroom the light above the sink was on— after all she wasn't able to reach the sink without her stool yet.

When she was finished, she didn't flush. The sound the toilet made scared her in the early morning and whatever lived in her closet — along with the man at her window— would come running at the noise. Instead she closed the lid and stepped up on her stool to wash her hands. She didn't turn the water on full blast. Instead she turned it on enough to get the job down.

She made her way back to her room, stood in the doorway, and let her gaze fall upon the curtains that had been pulled tightly together. Her father always checked out the window before she went to sleep and then closed them so that there wasn't a crack between them. This time, Emily had a different plan; she wanted to catch him.

She scampered to her bookshelf and took down the blue Fisher Price camera that her Grandma Sidle had sent her. It had a USB port where she could connect it to her mother's laptop and upload her pictures. Her parents didn't like her to play on the computer too much and told her that it was better for her brain if she played outside. But she still knew how to play games and upload pictures.

Hesitantly she approached the curtains and gripped one panel in her small fist. She was going to catch him in the act this time and show her father. Taking a deep breath, she threw open the curtain and raised her camera.

But he wasn't there.

She stepped closer to the glass and squinted into the bushes. She knew _had_ to be there, he was _always_ there. Just as she was about to give up and climb back into bed, the bush shook. She saw the hedge move away from the wall and Emily let out a small cry. She dropped the camera and turned to run towards her parents room.

~8~

Gil and Sara slept in a darkened room. Unlike their daughter, they would never get used to the early morning light and liked to sleep in darkness. When Emily opened their bedroom door and climbed onto their bed, Sara lifted her head sleepily to look at her.

"Emmy… what's wrong?" she asked in a drowsy voice.

Emily lifted the blankets and slid between her parents. Sara moved to make room for her and put a loving arm around her little girl. She loved being a mother. She couldn't imagine a life without her daughter.

"The man at my window is back," she said in a scared whisper.

"Oh," Sara replied as she cuddled her daughter. "Well stay in here with us and tomorrow we'll send Daddy out to look for clues."

Emily snuggled back. "I hope Daddy makes him leave," she said.

Sara kissed her head. "Let's go back to sleep," she sighed.

~8~

It was Saturday and the Grissom household had nowhere to be. The family had a tradition that involved Gil cooking a big breakfast. The usually also did something fun and educational, but since Sara was near bursting, they stayed close to home. This morning was no different and Gil had cooked French toast for breakfast.

"Next week is the week," Sara joked as she waddled into the kitchen. "I'm going into labor. I can feel it."

Gil smiled at her. "Well, I'm glad one of us has a new goal," he said. "Did Emmy have a nightmare?"

Emily was still asleep in their bed, and Sara planned to let her sleep in for another hour or so. It was rare nowadays that she was able to spend time with her husband alone. She took a seat at the table and plucked an apple out of the fruit bowl.

"She said her window visitor is back," she said. "I swear to god it's that hedge. We need to just pull it out of the ground."

Gil closed his eyes and frowned. "We need to stop feeding her fears," he explained. "She needs to know that there is nothing to be afraid of."

Sara looked at him seriously. "Gil, she's five," she said. "and plus she's going through a lot of change. She's going to have to share her parents. It probably stresses her out."

Lovingly he walked up behind her and squeezed her shoulders. "You're always right," he said. "I just don't want her to be scared."

"I'd be more worried if she didn't come to us with something that scares her," Sara explained. "She trusts us. We're her safe place."

~8~

After breakfast, Emily declared that she was going to investigate outside her window. Sara recruited Gil into assisting, and soon he was helping Emily make a plan and gather supplies.

"Camera?" he said, reading from a list he had written.

Emily dug into her bag. "Check!" she called back.

"Gloves?" he said.

Emily scampered over to her dresser and pulled a pair of mittens out of the drawer. "Check!" she said.

"Flashlights?" he said.

Emily held up two. "Double check!" she said with a smile as she handed one to her father.

"Well, that's it," he said as he accepted the light. "Are you ready?"

Emily nodded and led the way out of the bedroom. "I almost got a picture of him this morning, but he got away," she explained. "maybe we'll find his shoe prints and show the police."

"Maybe," Gil responded as they descended the porch steps.

"It's around here," Emily directed, as if Gil needed help remembering where her bedroom window was.

"Wait," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We need a picture from far away."

Emily hurriedly dug into her bag and pulled her camera out. She snapped a photo, and returned it to the bag. They walked closer to it and Gil told her to take more photos of it.

"So the police can have a lot," he explained.

As Emily snapped photos, Gil slipped on his gloves. Everything he was doing was for show and he never really believed he'd find anything. He thought that Emily was just playing a game and that everything was for her amusement.

"Okay come around her and take pictures under the window," he said to her.

Emily came around to his side and began to snap pictures as he bent down to pretend to examine the grass. He was actually enjoying himself. He felt pride that his daughter believed that they were examining a crime scene.

"Daddy, look!" Emily pointed.

Gil followed her finger and felt a bolt of her electricity surge through him when he saw what she was pointing at. With his gloved hand he picked one up and looked at it.

"What are they?" Emily asked.

"Cigarettes," he said. "Emmy, go get Daddy a paper bag."

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **A/M: Well CSIers, it is late for me. Nearly 1 in the morning. I have to be off. Good night and leave a review. The more I get the more I update. They make me feel positive.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Dear Readers,**

 **I feel a little awkward here— I don't have anything prepared. I am just going to wing it and post. I feel confident. Let's see what I can do with two hours. And START!**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Las Vegas, Nevada_

"I don't think I've heard of Paul Milander," Morgan said as she stood back and studied the crime scene photos.

Greg stepped up next to her. "You didn't hear your dad mention anything?" he asked.

Morgan shook her head. "No, by that time my parents had probably split up and mom took us kids to California," she explained.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Greg couldn't help but admire Morgan's looks. He had always thought that her hair was full and glamorous. Her smile was always lively and it warmed his heart.

"Well, he was Grissom's white whale for a little while," he explained. "Mandy is running the prints that we collected and I bet you, dollars to donuts, that it comes back as Milander."

Morgan's eyes widened. "He planted his own fingerprints?" she asked.

Greg nodded. "Milander was transgendered. He was born Pauline, and he had a sexual reassignment operation done. His own father was murdered in a bathtub, like our vic was."

Morgan listened intently, amazed that she had never heard the story before. It was before her time, and it told her just how much history the crime lab had seen.

"How was he Grissom's white whale?" she asked.

"He played with Grissom," Greg explained. "Milander killed in order of birth year, and Grissom's birthday had happened to fall in that sequence. Milander had another identity— Judge Mason. Maybe Milander fingered Grissom out from the start because of his birthday. Being a judge would give him access to that kind of information."

~8~

Avery had stationed herself in the the AV lab, and that suited Catherine just fine. She had enough on her plate, and to make matters worse they were understaffed and police had requested that a CSI be dispatched for a 4-19.

"What do have for me today, Mitch?" Catherine asked.

Mitch nodded to her. "Female victim," he said as he raised the yellow crime scene tape for her.

She ducked underneath and entered the residence. The home was standard and ordinary. Nothing stood out as unusual. A photo stood on a bookshelf near the door, and it showed a young woman holding a chihuahua. It pained Catherine to see a life — any life — end before it was supposed to. In her line of work you learned one important thing: anything could happen to anybody.

As she rounded the corner she saw Nick, who had volunteered to give her a hand. He lowered his camera and looked at her pensively.

"Cath, you're not going to believe this," he said.

Catherine walked into the room. "What?" she asked.

"She's been stripped and strangled," he said.

~8~

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

After Gil had brought the evidence inside and showed Sara, she packed Emily into the car and headed out to buy something to cover the window with. While they were gone, Gil called the police and they did what they could before the rain began to fall. When Sara returned with Emily, the police talked to the little girl. She took the officers to her room, and she bravely told them where the man stood.

"He made this face," Emily said, cupping her hands to her face to mimic someone trying to look through a window.

The officers told her she was brave, and they stepped aside to talk to Gil. Sara stayed with Emily and recruited the child into helping her hang a pull-down window shade. The two females applied glow-in-the-dark star stickers to it to make it look more friendly. Then, they pushed her bed in front of the window — with the headboard against it — so that Emily couldn't see it. With the shade down and the bed facing away from the window, Emily felt better.

But her parents did not.

~8~

Gil uprooted the bush from the ground and tossed into a neighbor's burn-pile. If someone had been using the hedge as a cover for peeping into a little girl's room, then they would be surprised when they returned. He also bought a motion light and installed it over the garage. Since Emil's room was on the side of the house, and all of the houses on their street had fences, the intruder had to had come from the street.

Before bed that night, they told Emily that she would be sleeping in their bed for a little while. She seemed to be enjoying the activity around her, and she was overjoyed to camping out with her parents and watching television with them until she fell asleep. To Gil and Sara this meant that they got to keep a close watch on their daughter, but it also meant that they had to endure cartoons.

~8~

Though he was enjoying Emily's commentary of _Frozen_ , a phone call pulled him away. With a pitiful look he pulled away from Sara and held up his phone in self defense. She looked at him as if he betrayed her, but then turned back to the movie. Of all the movies that Emily was fond of, _Frozen_ was their least favorite.

"Grissom," he said as he answered his phone.

"Gil," Catherine said. "Sorry to bother you again."

Gil sat down on the couch. "Actually, you saved me," he said.

"It's getting worse, Gil," she said. "The copycat is escalating quickly."

"How?" he asked. "Another victim?"

Catherine sighed. "Yes, but not of Milander's," she said. "The Strip Strangler."

Gil was silent for a few moments. He was beginning to believe that nothing that was happening lately had been a coincidence. The fact that he was getting this news — on the day that he had found out that someone was peeping in his daughter's window — was disturbing him.

"What?" Grissom asked, hoping that he had heard wrong.

"It's the same, right down to the object rape and cotton fibers in the lining of the esophagus," Catherine said. "We _need_ you to help us out on this. Please, I am way over my head with this."

Gil felt as if his hands were tied. He wanted to help, but he knew that he couldn't leave his family here — not with a maniac running around. He could take them with him, but Sara was due in a week. She could go into labor any day.

"Oh," Gil sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "I have no idea what to do."

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **A/M: Short, I am sorry. But it is 12 now and I need to organize things before going to bed. Tonight I brought home a new family member. Spike, the cactus.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Dear Readers,**

 **Busy. I have been so busy that I have hardly had time to write, but alas, I will never forsake my readers. Between tests, kindergarten, and my computer spellchecking the word 'if', I have been a little tired. Right now I am in my warm bed, with my computer on my lap. I am tired. Please review and let me know if you are still loving this. Also, do not forget to go to our CSI Forever Online Fan-fiction awards page and nominate your favorite stories.**

 **Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

Gil was in a difficult position. He wanted to help; he knew that his knowledge of the past cases would be more than beneficial. But Sara was in her last month of pregnancy, and their son could make his appearance at any moment. Though hospitals were also in Las Vegas, he was comfortable with the ones in Anchorage. He knew their doctor— the same woman who had delivered Emily. He didn't want to risk being out of town — in a hotel — and have Sara go into labor. Yet, at the same time, he could help catch a killer. He wanted to make a difference, but he had a family now. Sara knew something was bothering him, but between the baby and the man who had been visiting Emily's window, she thought she had him figured out.

It was on one of their after-dinner family walks, that she began to probe deeper. Emily loved their walks. Gil would always point out a new piece of nature and talk to her about it. She was a smart girl because they were always involved with her learning experience, but sometimes it would backfire and she would challenge her parents. Even at such a young age, she was proving to have her mother's spunky attitude.

"What have you been thinking about for the past few days?" Sara asked as they walked with Emily between them.

Gil shook his head but kept the same pensive look. "Nothing," he replied. "I'm fine."

Sara smiled at his response. "No, I know when you are worried. And right now you are more worried than I have seen," she said. "Is it that freak who keeps coming to the house?"

Gil gave up. "Not just that," he answered. "You know that copycat I told you about. Well… he has escalated. He has moved on to mimic the Strip Strangler."

Emily looked up at them. "Who's that?" she asked.

Sara and Gil both exchanged looks. "No one," they both answered.

~8~

After Emily was tucked into their bed with her Ipad and a Leap-Frog game, Gil and Sara sat at the kitchen table with mugs of tea to talk. Now that she had gotten the truth from her husband, Sara had started to wear the same pensive expression that he did.

"Maybe we should go," she said. "we can do something to help. We know things about these cases. If not both of us, then you."

Gil shook his head. "Me leaving you when you are close to the end is out of the question," he said. "What if you had the baby while I was gone? I want to be with you."

"Okay, well then Las Vegas does have hospitals," Sara pointed out. "I can have the baby there if I need to. It wouldn't be the end of the world."

"Okay," Gil said, setting his mug down and looking his wife seriously. "Let's say we pull Em out of school, uproot our family, and then have a new baby in Las Vegas. How long will we be gone? You'll need to rest and we'll have a new infant to think about."

Sara leaned back in her chair. "I see what you are saying, and believe me I am scared. I don't _want_ to have a five-year-old and a five-day-old in Las Vegas. I want to be at home in my bed, healing and being served dinner by you, but we have to think about what is right. If we can stop this, then it's the right thing."

Gil stood up and emptied his mug. "I think this is right too," he said to her. "Maybe I'm being selfish, but staying here is not wrong. I want to help them, but from afar. And if it gets worse… I guess I'll step in— after the baby comes."

Sara sighed and stood with him. She knew that when Gil made up his mind, that there was nothing that she could really say to get him to change his mind — especially where his family was concerned. She put her arms around his waist and he put a hand on her belly.

"No," she said to him. "It isn't wrong. We have a right to a little happiness."

~8~

 _Las Vegas, Nevada_

"Okay guys," Catherine said as she entered her office. "what do we have?"

D.B and Greg sat together, both men had their head bent in concentration. They both looked up when she spoke, but Greg spoke first.

"Craig Mason was an obvious suspect and so was Milander's widow," he said, as she showed Catherine a picture of Craig. "but Mrs. Mason died in a car crash, and three years ago Craig committed suicide."

Catherine took the photo, gave it a glance, and sighed. "Well, now we don't even have a suspect. What about the Strip Strangler scene?"

This time D.B stood. "Well, I know I wasn't here for this, but I have heard of it. I remember the case, and I followed it pretty closely. Sid Goggle, as I'm sure you know, died at the scene," he said.

Catherine looked at him blankly. "I know, I killed him," she said. "anything else?"

D.B pushed up his glasses. "Yeah, you can be a little more polite," he said.

Catherine sighed. "Sorry, yes and thank you. Is there anything else?" she asked.

D.B looked down. "No, we …. we have nothing but exactly the same things that you guys had the first time. You name it: semen in ketchup packets, electrical cords…"

"By having everything," Catherine said. "We have nothing. So, do we just wait on him to make a move? Is the ball in his court?"

D.B and Greg looked at each other. "Seems like it," Greg said regretfully. "We can't find a thing."

~8~

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

Sara finally went into labor on a sunny afternoon while Emily was in school. She had been staying home from work for the past few days and relax. Her feet had swollen so much that she couldn't put her socks on anymore and Gil had gotten her a new pair of house shoes with extra cushion in the soles. When she called him that afternoon to say that the baby was on the way, he hurried home and, while she waited, Sara packed her bag for her stay at the hospital. She remembered to pack an outfit for the baby too.

She thought more about what Gil had said, and she knew he was right. They had put in so much effort and work into their past, and now it was their turn to enjoy their lives. Their children and jobs were their enjoyment. It was a fact that they were a couple that was in harmony when they worked together, unlike some. Their constant togetherness had strengthened their bond, and part of her worried what returning to Vegas would be like for their relationship. There was nothing about the past that would do their love-life any good.

"I'm here," Gil said as he entered the house. "I called Joanne and she'll pick Emily up after school."

Sara stood. "I can't believe it," she said with a smile. "I can't wait to meet our little boy. I'm just so excited and… ow ow ow ow …. let's go."

~8~

Ethan was born that evening; his delivery was much easier than Emily's had been. When the doctors handed him to Sara, she fell into love true love for the third time in her life — the first two being Gil and Emily. After the doctors cleaned him and Sara had fed him, Gil was handed the baby. He loved his daughter beyond words, but now that he had a son he felt that as if he had it all; there was nothing lacking in his life anymore.

Emily had been brought to the hospital to visit with her new little brother. She held him with pride as Gil took a photo of his two children. She bored of him quickly, and she complained that he didn't do anything. This made Sara laugh, and she took the baby back and rocked him gently. Lovingly, she kissed his small head and gazed down at him with pride. Like Gil, she saw the arrival of their son as a completion of their family unit. There wasn't anything else she needed anymore, and she was content.

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **A/M: Okay, I need to sleep. Please review and let me know how I am doing, and if there is something you wish to see. Review and stuff…. okay, goodnight.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Dear Readers,**

 **Hi, I am taking a break from my work day to relax a little. I am tired...**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

Gil and Sara didn't pay for daycare. Instead, they brought Ethan to the boat and while they worked he slept on the bed — surrounded by pillows. Since they both worked for the same companies — and from home— it was easy to juggle their children and work at the same time. Sara's favorite perk was not having to dress professionally. If they needed to go to the animal rescue center, they took both of their children with them.

Emily began to get jealous of her brother, but Gil had expected she would. To solve the problem, Gil and Sara let her stay up a half-hour later and let her pick their weekend activities — as long as it wasn't over-the-top. Since it had begun to grow colder and Christmas was approaching, their family walks had begun to shorten. December in Anchorage was typically extremely cold and one lap around the block was enough to chill them to the bone; for a new infant, it was too much so Gil or Sara would stay home with him while one of them walked with Emily.

It was on one of these walks that Gil and Emily saw a group of police cars gathered in the lot of the nearest park. Their lights were flashing and Emily couldn't be pulled away; she wanted to know what was happening. Gil saw a group of their neighbors standing to one side, so he approached them.

~8~

"Mommy!" Emily shouted as they walked into the house. "They catched him!"

Sara was in a recliner feeding Ethan. She looked up with a puzzled expression and then down at her little girl.

"Caught," she corrected. "The caught him."

"They catched him at the park!" Emily said, ignoring her mother's correction. "They catched him!"

"Who did the catch?" she asked as she repositioned the baby.

"The man at the window! He's in the slammer now!" she called as she walked back to her room.

Sara looked up at Gil. "They caught him?" she asked.

He sat down on the couch to unlace his boots. "Apparently he's been seen at the park watching children play," he said. "They got him after some parents spotted him. I'm sure we'll hear something soon."

Sara laid Ethan on her shoulder and began to pat his back. "Thank God that's over," she said. "I see you get up every morning to check the house."

Gil laid back on the couch and stretched. "Of course I do," he said. "This is our house and I'll be damned before someone gets in here to ruin my peace of mind."

Sara smiled at him. "You sound like an old man trying to keep kids off his grass," she joked. "All you need is a pipe."

"I have one somewhere," he replied. "face it, sweetheart, we're old now. Me more than you, but it's true."

Sara choked. "You're telling me," she laughed. "I pee when I laugh now; things will never be the same. Children have changed us."

"Yeah," Gil agreed. "but isn't it great?"

Sara smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way," she said. "And having you along for the ride is the best part."

The couple shared an intimate smile. It was an expression that didn't need an explanation — each party knew the reason behind the smile. They stayed like that until they heard a crash come from Emily's room.

"Mommy! I knocked over my dresser!" Emily yelled.

Sara up straight. "I'm not even going to ask her how she did that," she said, moving to stand.

Gil stood first. "Let your husband get this," he said with a loving smile.

~8~

The next day Gil had left Anchorage to meet with team members of the Coast Guard in Kenai, who had discovered turtles that had been trapped in a garbage heap. Because Ethan was too young for such a long trip, Sara stayed in Anchorage with the children while Gil went to arrange for the turtles' care. He had left early that morning and promised to return that night.

Sara decided not to go to the office, so after she had walked Emily to school, she kicked back with a mug of tea and her favorite book — one that she had read several times before. Since Gil was gone, her day felt uneventful. Ethan slept for the most part but woke for his feedings. When Emily came home from school, Sara gave her a snack and then the little girl grabbed her binoculars and hurried outside to work on the igloo that she had started to build with her father. After dinner, the three of them huddled in the master bedroom and waited on Gil to come home. At nine, he said that he was one his way, but we wouldn't make it home until two in the morning.

~8~

At one, Sara closed her book and laid it on the nightstand. She wanted to stay awake until Gil returned, but she couldn't stay awake anymore. In an hour he would be home and would slip into bed beside her, and when she woke up, he would be there. She was just about to turn the light out, when she heard a loud creak come from the front part of the house.

"Gil?" she called as she pushed back the blanket.

Next she heard the sound of glass shattering, and she felt a lightening bolt of electricity shoot down her spine. If it had been Gil, then he would have called out to her. There was someone in the home who had no permission to be there, and Sara sprang into action. She leaped from the bed to the door in a split second and closed it soundlessly. She pulled their dresser in front of it, and then turned to her children.

"Emmy, come with me," she said as she shook her daughter awake.

Emily sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. "Is daddy back?" she asked sleepily.

Sara lifted Ethan out of his bassinet and grasped Emily by the hand. "Follow me," she instructed as she led the way to the master bathroom closet.

Emily obeyed and Sara sat her down in the closet — behind the clothes that were hanging — and handed her Ethan. She didn't give Emily time to complain because she quickly shut the children in and went to unlock the gun safe under the bed.

She also grabbed her phone and dialed nine-one-one. She was informed that the line was busy and to stay on the line, and as she waited she opened the gun safe. Behind her, the bedroom door sounded as if it was hit with something heavy. The noise it made was loud and Sara dropped the phone. It skittered under the bed, but she was too afraid to reach for it. She heard Emily start call out to her, and she hurried over and opened the closet door.

"Mommy's going to turn out the light and shut the door," she said. "be really quiet and don't come out until I call your name."

Emily began to sniffle. "Where's daddy?" she asked.

Sara kissed her head. "He's on his way," she said. "Listen to me and be quiet. Don't make any noise at all. I'm locking the door behind me."

The door in the bedroom was hit again, and Sara snapped off the closet light. She locked the bathroom door behind her and then hurried to position herself in front of the bedroom door. Though she had held a gun countless times, this time she was shaking. She was afraid because her children were only a few feet away from her.

"I have a gun!" she yelled. "Leave now, I've called the police!"

~8~

Gil pulled onto his street and headed toward home. He didn't like leaving Sara alone with the kids, but he knew she needed a rest and driving to Kenai with an infant wasn't ideal. They had compromised, and he knew that next time he would be the one to stay home.

When he pulled into the driveway, his heart stopped. In the beam of the headlights, he saw that the front door was standing wide open. Without turning off the engine, he was out the door and climbing the front steps.

"Sara!" he called as he ran inside.

He was instantly sacked by a large man and he hit the ground hard. The man on top of him struggled to get up and make a run for it, but Gil pulled him back down by the leg.

~8~

Sara heard Gil call out for her, but she didn't know what to do. She wanted to push the dresser aside and run to help him, but she couldn't leave her children defenseless. Quickly she got down on her hands and knees and groped for the phone. She found it and brought it to her ear, but she was still on hold.

"Are you kidding me!?" she screamed at it.

Then everything was quiet. She strained her ears for any sign that Gil was still struggling with the intruder. The only sound she could hear was the sound of her own heart thudding wildly. Finally, an operator came on the line.

"Yes, someone broke into our home and my husband was attacked by him!" she said urgently. "Please, I have two children here! I don't know if he's hurt!"

"Sara, open the door. It's me," she heard Gil say weakly.

She dropped the phone in an instant and hurried over to push the dresser away. She opened the door and saw him standing there, his nose bloodied. She pulled him to her and hugged him tightly.

"Where are the kids?" he asked.

Sara pointed behind her, but Gil took the gun from her and proceeded to check the house. Sara stayed online with the nine-one-one operator, but they left the children where they were until the police showed up. When they were convinced it was safe, they brought Emily and Ethan out.

~8~

"And you fought with the man, Dr. Grissom?" an officer asked Gil.

Though the police did a complete search of the house and found no one, neither Gil nor Sara felt safe. The front door's dead-bolt had not been busted, and the alarm had not been tripped. Gil and Sara were questioned separately, and Gil held Ethan while Emily clung to her mother's robe.

"Mrs. Grissom are you sure you set it?" they asked her again.

"I'm positive," she answered. "I do every night."

The officers looked at her skeptically. "Did you give the code out to anyone? Boyfriend maybe?" one asked.

"Excuse me?" she asked in a challenging way. "No, no one but my husband and I have the code. Are we finished? I need to put my children back to bed."

She looked down at Emily who had been standing beside her watching her interact with the officers. It was the only thing that kept Sara from putting the rookie officers in their places.

"Yeah, we're done. But you may want to keep those crime scene photos put away if you have small children."

Sara was confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

She turned and saw that Gil was looking down at photos that somebody had lined up across their coffee table. He made eye contact with her and she knew what he was thinking.

They were going back to Las Vegas.

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **a/m: well, let me know guys. I need your support and feedback please. Also, HAPPY BACK TO THE FUTURE DAY !**


	10. Chapter 10

**Dear Readers,**

 **Yawwwnnn….. * looks around sleepily***

 **Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 _Anchorage, Alaska_

"Where did these photos even come from?" Sara asked.

After the police left, Gil triple checked all of the locks in the house. Sara laid Emily and Ethan to sleep in their room, but they kept the door open in case Emily called out for them — and so that she could hear their voices, so she would feel soothed. All of the commotion and activity had sparked the little girl's curiosity, but she was also terrified of what she had just experienced. Though she hadn't asked many questions about it yet, but her parents knew she would when she woke up the next morning.

"Nick sent them," he said as he gathered them up. "I was looking over them for him."

"So, I take this to mean we are heading out to Vegas in the morning?" she said. "it's not a coincidence that someone broke into our house, tried to attack us, and then lined these exact photos out for us to find."

Gil looked defeated. "We have no choice," he said. "Somebody won't stop until we're part of this."

Sara sat down beside him. "It won't take too long," she said. "I hope. Maybe a few weeks."

Gil looked at her skeptically. "Maybe, but it may take longer than that. What'll we do then?"

"Then let's stay," she said.

Gil shook his head. "I don't think they'll stop," he said. "the man at Emily's window could have been the freak they arrested at the park, or it could have been someone sent to shake us up. I'll be paranoid with whatever we do."

Slowly Sara stood and walked towards Emily's bedroom. Gil followed and stood in the doorway as Sara pulled a small suitcase out of the little girl's closet.

~8~

Emily had never been on an airplane before. She had seen the airport, but she had never gone in. She was so excited for her first plane ride that she asked her parents an onslaught of questions about airplanes; she chattered the entire car ride. Though Gil and Sara were worrying about how Ethan was going to cope, they answered her questions.

"Is there a bathroom on the airplane?" Emily asked as they drove.

"Yes," Sara replied. "There are many."

"Are they big?"

"No."

"Where does the poop go?"

"In a tank."

"How long will it take?"

"A long time."

"Will we see clouds? What if we hit one?"

"Clouds are just water vapor."

"Is Las Vegas like...

~8~

When Emily was actually aboard the plane, her excitement left her and she grew bored. Though Gil let her sit near the window, she tired of the view quickly. Sara was more than relieved when the plane finally landed and she was able to feed her children. While Gil arranged for a rental car, Sara collected their bags and found a sandwich shop. When they stepped out of the airport, Emily pulled at her jacket and wrinkled her nose. It was nearly thirty degrees warmer in Nevada, and to Emily the difference was profound.

"It's too hot!" she whined as they dragged their bags across the parking lot and towards their rental car.

"You're jacket is just fine," Gil said. "You'll live."

Emily stuck out her lip. "I'll sufercate!"

"Suffocate," Sara corrected. "and you won't."

~8~

As they drove toward their hotel, Emily stared at the window wide-eyed. She had never been too far out of Anchorage, and she was seeing a whole new world. The buildings were taller and shinier, there was a more substantial amount of people, and it was noticeably louder.

"Mommy," she said from the backseat. "where is the forest?"

"Nevada is a different climate," Sara replied. "we're in the desert now."

"But where do the animals live?"

"There are different kinds of animals here."

"Like what?"

"Oh, we'll take you to see them."

Emily fell silent and continued to look out the window. Gil had the windows rolled down to let a little fresh air into the car. He stopped at a light, and Emily focused her attention on a woman on the street.

"Why is she wearing that?" Emily asked.

Sara choked. "I guess she's hot," she said, forcing herself not to laugh.

Just then the woman, who was obviously a hooker, called out to a man. "I got something for you!" she yelled.

"Daddy, what does she have?" Emily asked.

"Honey, why don't you listen to your music for a little while," Sara suggested as Gil raised the windows.

~8~

They had no choice but to put the Copycat killer case on the back burner. They had nothing to go on, and no leads were found. Nick's stay was coming to an end. He wanted to stay and help, but there was nothing to could be done; they were in the killer's web. The day Gil arrived things changed. It was as if the killer's puzzle pieces had fallen into place and it was the Grissom family's arrival that he was waiting for.

Emily was quiet when the walked into the crime lab — which was a relief to her parents who were growing tired of answering her. Sara and Gil felt like they had been thrown back in time. Everything looked the same, and they even saw a few familiar faces.

"Is Catherine here?" Gil asked the receptionist, who was clearly not Judy.

"Who can I tell her is here?" the woman asked.

"Tell her that the evidence never-" Gil started.

"Gil Grissom," Sara interrupted. "Tell her Gil and Sara are here."

* * *

~8~

* * *

A/M: Ok… review…. review REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Dear Readers,**

 **Yes, I reviewed my own story. Not out of being serious, but because I was tired and I wanted to amuse myself for ten minutes while I wasn't working. I thought it was funny and it stopped me from throwing a fit at the moment. I am very tired, although I love to write. If I was seriously reviewing my work, I wouldn't do it under my own username. Enjoy this chapter and review. :)**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

When Catherine was told that Gil was there, she was confused. He hadn't told her that he was coming, but that's Grissom for you — he rarely told anyone his plans. Nick was standing with her, and they faced each other and exchanged looks.

"Tell them I'll be right there," she told the receptionist. "Show him into my office."

"Them," the receptionist asked. "It's a family. There is a little girl and a baby too."

Nick gapped at Catherine. "I guess we're all here now," he said.

~8~

"What is this place?" Emily asked as they were led into Catherine's office.

"This used to be your daddy's office," Sara said as she sat down on the couch — that she was surprised was still there.

"You worked here, Daddy?" Emily asked as she sat down beside her mother.

Gil nodded. "Yes I did," he said. "And Mom worked with me."

"Wow!" Emily gasped as she looked back and forth between her smiling parents. "Was Mommy your boss?"

Gil chuckled at her question. "Sometimes," he answered.

Emily was confused. "What?" she asked.

"No," Sara answered. "He was _my_ boss."

"And then you got married?" Emily asked.

Sara rocked Ethan and kissed his head. "Well… no we got married after a few years," she said. "It took time."

"Didn't you love Daddy?" Emily asked Sara.

"Of course," she said. "I've always loved Daddy."

"Then it doesn't make sense," Emily said as she tried to wrap her small mind around the complexities of an adult relationship. "If you love someone then you marry them and have babies."

Sara changed the topic quickly. "Do you know what we did here?" she asked, and when Emily shook her head she continued. "We solved crimes."

Emily's eyes lit up. "Like a policeman?" she asked.

Sara and Gil loved their daughter's curiosity. It reminded them of what it was like to learn and be humbled by knowledge. She was mirroring the same enthusiasm for life that they both had had as children, and they wanted to protect that part of her.

"Yep," Gil said as he put his arm around Sara. "like a policeman."

"Gil?" they heard Catherine say from the doorway.

Emily grew quiet as Gil stood and walked over to his old coworker. Nick was with her, and when he saw Sara, he made a bee-line for her.

"You look different now?" Nick said as he pulled her into a hug. "And look at this little one! I can't really wrap my mind around the fact that you have children."

Emily had pulled her feet up onto the couch and was successful in hiding herself from view. Nick moved to look around Sara and saw Emily's brown eyes examining him. She looked just like Sara, he thought. She had an oval face and freckles peppered her cheeks.

"Hi there," he said to her. "I'm Nick. What's your name?"

"It's okay," Sara said. "This is our friend. You can say 'hello'."

"Hello," Emily whispered to him. "I'm Emily."

Nick smiled at her. "Oh, that's a very pretty name," he patted Ethan on the head. "Is this your sister?"

Emily wrinkled her nose. "No way!" she giggled. "Ethan is a boy!"

Nick looked surprised. "A boy!" he smiled as he held out his arms. "Can I?"

Sara nodded and passed Ethan to him gently. He looked down at Emily and grinned at her. She was beginning to like this man who had no hair and talked funny. As he talked with her mother, she wondered if she should show him her binoculars.

~8~

"I had no idea you were coming down," Catherine said as she walked with Gil towards the layout room. "Is everything alright? What made you change your mind?"

"Someone broke into our home," Gil answered. "They lined the photos — the photos Nick sent — out on the coffee table. Somebody wants me here, and they proved that it doesn't matter where we are."

Catherine looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry," she said. "If there is anything I can do for you and your family while you're here, let me know. How old are your children?"

"Emmy is five, and Ethan is two weeks," Gil said.

"Where are you staying?" she asked. "I can have the lab comp your room for you. It's the least I can do."

"Thanks," he replied as they entered the room.

Greg was standing at the table and looking over a piece of evidence for an unrelated case. When he saw Gil he looked surprised.

"Grissom," he said putting down his magnifying glass and stepping towards him.

"Hey Greg," he said, taking the man's outstretched hand. "What do you have there?"

Greg waved it off. "Oh, just a piece of evidence for a robbery case. It's not interesting."

Gil stepped toward the wall where the Copycat Killer photos had been placed alongside the original cases' photos. He took off his glasses and chewed on the ear piece, a habit that Sara had tried to break him of. The resemblances were uncanny and Gil felt a shiver travel up his backbone.

At that moment, Music began to flood through the lab. Gil quickly looked back at Catherine, but she looked just as puzzled as she did. She quickly left the room and quickly jogged towards the noise; the music was coming from the AV lab.

"What is going on in here?" Catherine asked.

"I don't know," Morgan said as she tried to turn off the sound.

Each computer, and everyone throughout the entire lab, was doing the same thing. They were playing the chorus of Dropkick Murphys' 'The Gang's all Here'.

* * *

~8~

* * *

A/M: :). Well, I am taking a few days off to rest.


	12. Chapter 12

**Dear Readers,**

 **I am going to have to be a little rude and ask for at least 10 reviews before I can continue. They can be criticisms too, reviews don't have to be good things. I am doing nanowrimo in November and need feedback on things. If you do not know, nanowrimo is a month-long writing contest. I am so excited for it. If I am going to do both fan fiction and that, I will need your support. I love writing CSI and I know — I hope — you love reading .**

 **P.S This story is going to be a pain in the ass for you to read until it clicks and then it'll all make sense and you'll go "oh!"**

 **~Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

It took a while for technical services to silence the music, but they were only successful because, yet again, they disconnected the servers. Catherine ordered that all computers be restored to factory settings. Luckily, any important information had been backed-up. Sara and Gil debated, and it was decided that she would take the kids back to the hotel and he would stay and assist if he could. Emily was reluctant to leave her new Texan friend, but after Nick promised that they'd hang out sometime, she left with her mother.

The first thing Gil did was access any information that the city still had on Syd Goggle and Paul Milander. Most of the evidence, because the cases had been closed, had been destroyed. Luckily, he was able to gather enough leftover photos, testimonies, and rely on his own memory. Since Greg had been a lab tech at the time, he congregated with Nick and Catherine to recall what they remembered.

"I remember that you almost lost your job during the strip stangler incident," Catherine pointed out.

"Let me rephrase my question then," Gil said. "Does anyone recall anything _related_ to the case?"

"I remember that the semen wasn't his," Nick said. "He um… collected it."

Grissom wrote something in marker on the glass board. "Okay, look up that name and see if we can contact this man," he said. "Maybe our copycat is forgetting a few things. This could be our step-up."

"So what did Milander and Goggle have in common. They were both males… that's about it," Catherine said.

"They both had a front seat in their own crime scenes," Nick said. "We questioned Milander and he even played with us. Syd claimed to be a witness and even talked to Grissom."

"And Goggle had a copycat of his own," Gil added.

"Didn't Agent Culpepper use Sara as bait?" Nick asked.

Gil snapped the cap back on the magic marker. " Yeah and I wanted to give him a real big piece of my mind over that," he said, tossing the marker onto the table.

Catherine raised her eyebrows. "You didn't?" she asked. "If I recall, you had a few choice words."

"That was me holding back," Gil said with a smirk.

~8~

"I wish Nick wouldn't leave," Morgan said. "I like having him around."

Greg set down the evidence he had been working with and turned to her. "You think he is funnier than me, don't you?" he asked.

Morgan shrugged. "He's not exactly funny," she said. "He feels like… a brother."

"Oh," Greg said as he lowered his eyes. "Like me?"

Morgan pursed her lips and turned. Though men found her attractive, she considered herself a nerd. And, as a nerd, flirting was not a strong suit

"You are most definitely not my brother," she said as she left.

~8~

"When is Daddy coming back?" Emily asked as she jumped up and down on the queen-sized bed.

"Well, Daddy just called," Sara explained as she laid a freshly changed Ethan on his back in the playpen. "And I think he said something about a spinach pizza."

"Yum!" Emily shouted. "I love that!"

"Emmy, let's be quiet," Sara said quietly as she lifted the little girl off the bed and set her on her feet. "Ethan is sleeping."

Emily scampered over to look into the playpen. "Why does he sleep so much?" she whispered.

"Cause he's a newborn," Sara replied, as she ushered the little girl away from the pen. "Their brains need to develop."

"Did I sleep a lot when I was a newborn?"

"Yes, you did."

"Is that why I am so curious?"

"Maybe so."

"If we don't like Ethan can we take him back to the hospital?"

"No, Daddy and I want to keep him. Just like we kept you."

"But what if _**I**_ don't like him?"

"Do you like him?"

Emily shrugged. "He's okay," she said as she walked over to sit by her mother.

The door to the room opened and Gil stepped in holding a pizza box. Emily leaped off the bed and raced towards her father. He had just enough time to put the box on the table before she collided into his legs.

"Look at you!" he said as he lifted her up. "You have your pajamas on. Are you ready for bed?"

Emily shook her head and snuggled into his neck. "No, I'm not sleepy. I guess we can watch the news," she said.

Sara walked over to the small table and they all sat down to eat. "Well, we won't make you watch the news," she chuckled. "Maybe after you eat, you'll get more tired."

Emily shook her head, her brown ponytail flopping back and forth as she did. "Nope, I'm not," she said. "I have no school tomorrow. I can stay up _allll_ night long."

~8~

After a few slices of pizza, Emily fell into a deep sleep. The couch in the room folded out into a bed, so Sara made the bed up and laid the little girl down.

"Thank God we didn't have to watch the news," Gil joked as he settled onto the queen-sized bed. "I'm sorry I wasn't around much today."

"We were just fine," Sara replied as looked in the playpen at Ethan. "I bet we can get a couple hours of sleep if we pass out right now."

Gil chuckled as she climbed onto the bed and into his arms. He hugged her tightly to him and planted a kiss in her hair.

"Do you know what Nick mentioned today?" he asked her in whisper.

Sara shook her head and yawned. "What?" she asked.

"That time you were used as bait for the Strip Strangler," he replied. "I never really told you what I had been thinking that day."

Sara turned her neck to look up at him. "That you wanted to take me right there in the store," she said dramatically as she kissed him.

He gave her a wicked grin. "A gentlemen never tells those things," he joked. "I was thinking that I wanted to protect you. It is weird to say this now, but … that was the night I knew that if I were to ever marry anyone, then it would be you."

"Ohhh," Sara sighed with a smile. "For you, that's saying quite a lot. I love you too. In that moment, I was embarrassed that I had my wallet stolen. I really wanted to make you proud of me."

"Baby, I was… am proud of you," he said. "that's one reason I asked you to come to Las Vegas. I was impressed with you. I trusted you."

"One?" Sara asked, raising an eyebrow. "What was the other?"

Gil chuckled. "A gentleman never tells those things," he joked as he began to whisper lovingly into her ear.

* * *

~8~

* * *

Hello all, submit to me your thoughts and feelings ( about the story... not life).


	13. Chapter 13

**Dear Readers,**

 **I am going to have to be a little rude and ask for at least 10 reviews before I can continue. They can be criticisms too, reviews don't have to be good things. I am doing nanowrimo in November and need feedback on things. If you do not know, nanowrimo is a month-long writing contest. I am so excited for it. If I am going to do both fan fiction and that, I will need your support. I love writing CSI and I know — I hope — you love reading .**

 **P.S This story is going to be a pain in the ass for you to read until it clicks and then it'll all make sense and you'll go "oh!"**

 **~Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

" _God bless Texas,"_ Nick sang as he pulled his car onto the on-ramp.

He had been gone from his job long enough, but if he was making a difference then he would have a reason to stay. The Copycat case was at a stand-still. The scenes were so much alike that he had nothing to go on. He hoped Grissom was right about the differences being the key. In his rearview mirror, he saw police flashers flash and he grimaced as he pulled onto the shoulder.

"Problem officer?" he said when the patrolman stepped up to his window.

"Papers?" the officer said.

Nick passed them to him. "I'm … uh… Nick Stokes I used to be a CSI around here, maybe you've heard of me?"

"Sir, did you know that this car was reported stolen?" the patrolman asked.

Nick wrinkled his forehead. "Um… I don't remember doing that," he said, offering the man a smile. "I think there's been a mistake."

"Can you step out of the car?"

~8~

"Mommy, I'm mad," Emily said the next morning.

She was sitting in her pajamas with her arms folded tightly over her chest. Gil was holding Ethan in his lap, speaking gibberish to him. She was giving her father a menacing glare.

"Why are you looking at Daddy like that?" Sara asked her in a serious tone.

"I'm mad," Emily repeated.

"Why are you mad at me?" Gil asked, pretending to be hurt.

Emily poked out her lip and scrunched up her face. They knew that she was going to have difficulties adjusting to her brother, and being away from home wasn't helping the situation.

"Cause you're not playing with me!" she sobbed at big tears began to roll down her face. "I missed you yesterday!"

Sara went over to the suitcase and pulled a set of clothes out for their daughter. "Okay, let's get changed first and then I'm sure Daddy will be ready to play with you," she said.

Emily accepted the deal and held out her arms to her mother. "Will you carry me?" she asked.

"Emmy, you have two legs that work fine," Sara replied.

Emily pouted. "But you carry Ethan!" she sobbed.

Sara looked back with a groan. "Come here," she said, holding out her arms.

Emily pasted on a wide smile and rushed into her mother's arms. Sara hoisted her up onto her hip. She toted her into the bathroom, helped her dress, and then sat her down on the counter to braid her hair.

"You know, Em," Sara said. "You're Ethan's big sister. You need to teach him things."

"Like what?" Emily asked sweetly.

"Well," Sara began as she separated the hair into three sections. "You need to teach him how to share."

"Share what?" the little girl asked. "His toys?"

Sara nodded. "Yes, but you can also share people," she explained. "We have to share you with Ethan and you need to share us. We need you to help us?"

"But it isn't fair," Emily said as she began to increase the pitch in her voice. "he's getting all of the attention!"

"Honey, he's a baby," Sara said. "When you were a little baby Daddy and I held you all the time."

"But you don't anymore," she said. "I want you to hold me too!"

Sara nodded. "We will hold you too," she said. "but Mommy and Daddy need to hold two babies now. So we need to take turns, okay?"

Emily sniffled and nodded. "Yes, Mommy. I guess so," she said.

Sara finished the braid and tied the end off with a bow. "That's my big girl," she said with a grin.

~8~

"I need to make my phone call!" Nick called.

After his arrest — or his detainment — he was put into a holding cell. He was sharing his prison with men who were just now sobering up and homeless men that needed showers. He had been in holding since the early morning and needed to call either Catherine or Ecklie to spring him.

"Call Conrad Ecklie!" he shouted. "Tell him that you have Nick Stokes in holding and see what he says!"

~8~

"Okay," Gil said as he pulled the car into the lab's parking lot. "We'll go in for just a moment and then we'll go to the park."

Since Emily wasn't in school and her mind wasn't being stimulated, Gil and Sara wanted to try and keep her active. They stopped at the lab so that they could get a face-to-face update, but they also wanted to explain things to their daughter. As they walked — with Emily between them — Sara stroked Ethan's baby-soft hair. He was in a papoose strapped to her chest, and it made walking with him easier to do.

"My shoe!" Emily cried as she stopped walking.

"Uh oh," Gil said as he bent over. "I got it."

Emily put her hand on the railing of the banister that ran the length of the walkway. She watched her father as he tied her sneaker. Then he stood up and held his hand out to her.

"Emmy, what in the world?" he said as he lifted up her hand.

Sara gasped and took Emily's hand. "Em, did you play with paint in the car?" she asked.

Emily shook her head. "No, it's the rail! I didn't know!" she cried.

Gil bent down to look at the rail that Emily had grasped. It was painted a bold, deep blue and at first nothing clicked. He saw Emily's small hand-print in the paint and then it hit him. He picked his daughter up quickly.

"Let's get inside," he said as he looked around.

~8~

"Stokes!" a guard barked. "Someone's here for ya."

Nick sighed. "Thank you!" he said to no one in particular.

"You're welcome," Brass said as he walked in. "I was talking to a talking to friend, and he asked me if I knew a Nick Stokes. And what do you know, turns out I do."

Nick let out an awkward chuckle. "This wasn't how I wanted us to reconnect," he said, giving the man a hug.

"So, your life took a bad turn," Brass joked. "Stealing your own car and a suspended license."

Nick was confused. "What… no…. man I just came back to help with a case," he explained. "I tried to leave and… I got arrested for grand theft auto — of my own damn car!"

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **A/M: I wanted to give ya'll this for all those reviews! See what reviews do for me.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Dear Readers,**

 **I am going to have to be a little rude and ask for at least 10 reviews before I can continue. They can be criticisms too, reviews don't have to be good things. I am doing nanowrimo in November and need feedback on things. If you do not know, nanowrimo is a month-long writing contest. I am so excited for it. If I am going to do both fan fiction and that, I will need your support. I love writing CSI and I know — I hope — you love reading .**

 **P.S This story is going to be a pain in the ass for you to read until it clicks and then it'll all make sense and you'll go "oh!"**

 **P.S.S - I love my reviews and I compelled to write more! I feellll the power! And yes, I am going to eat more chicken.**

 **~Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

In the restroom, Sara sat Emily on a counter and wiped the paint of her hand. Emily sat patiently as her mother cleaned her, swinging her legs back and forth.

The little girl sniffled. "Is Daddy mad?" she asked innocently

Sara shook her head and smiled at her daughter. "Oh no," she said. "He's just worried that the paint is… rotten."

Emily wrinkled her nose. "Like… it went bad?" she asked. "Like our milk that one day?"

Sara nodded. It was a poor excuse, but what could she tell her daughter. That a serial killer painted rails blue and if you touched them, you would die? No, it was best to keep it simple.

"Is it going to burn?" the little girl asked.

Sara chuckled. "No it isn't going to burn you, baby," she said. "It's coming right off. See?'

Emily spread her fingers out and stretched her arm out so that she could inspect her mother's work. "It's gone!" she giggled with a smile.

~8~

Outside the lab — where Emily had picked up the paint — Greg was kneeled and took a sample. Even though he had already swabbed the little girl's hand — which had sparked the child's curiosity and had inspired a tirade of questions — he needed to take a sample from the railing as well. Gil stepped out to talk to him about the incident. He had Ethan with him in the papoose.

"If I remember correctly," Gil said. "The Blue Paint Killer chose rails near a water fountain and used motor oil so the paint wouldn't dry too fast."

"I remember it pretty well," Greg replied. "I felt like it was my first big find. I never regretted stepping to the shoes of an investigator."

"And I don't regret giving it up," Gil said as Greg snapped the cap on the swap. "I got lucky."

Greg straightened up. "This is a Grissom I have never spoke to before," he joked. "The 'Family Man' Gil Grissom."

Gil ignored his remark, as he often had in the past. "Did the lab have these rails painted?" he asked.

Greg shrugged. "I don't believe so," he said. "And if they had the I would hope that they wouldn't pick this God-awful color."

The two men turned back to walk indoors. It was good to see Gil Grissom again. He had alway respected him as a supervisor — he never gave into politics.

"Hey Griss, can I ask you something?" Greg asked.

"Depends on what it is," Grissom replied.

"How did you keep it so cool with Sara? I mean, how did you balance the two?" Greg asked.

Gil sighed. "The secret is that there is no balance," he said. "You give one thing your everything, but you need to pick the one that gives back. Whatever you choose will not be easy. I had to work for my job, and I worked to keep Sara. You just pick what you can't live without."

Greg nodded to Ethan. "Looks good on ya," he joked.

~8~

Nick's car had be impounded, but that was the least of his worries. He tried to pay his fine, but his debit and credit cards would not be accepted. When he went to an ATM, he found that his accounts were frozen.

"Son of a bitch!" he shouted as he pounded his fist on the side of the machine.

He was stuck in Las Vegas — stranded.

~8~

After Nick left his bank, he rode with Brass back to the crime lab. It had been a while since the Brass had been there — more than a while. In the breakroom — seated on the sofa — was Emily. She was coloring and humming a song to herself, but she looked up when she saw the men enter.

"Mr. Nick!" she said with a smile as she reached for her back. "I brought my binoculars to show you!"

Brass looked at the little girl. "Hi there, what's your name?" he asked.

Emily grew quiet and Nick said. "That's Grissom and Sara's little girl," he said. "Emily. She has a little brother too."

"Oh wow," Brass replied. "She looks like Sara."

Nick, even though he wasn't in the best of moods, smiled at her. "You did?" he asked. "Wow, that's really cool!"

The little girl dug in her bag and produced a pair of plastic binoculars. She handed them to him and he looked them over with faux fascination. The child's eagerness to show him her toy touched him.

"Is your mom or dad here?" he asked.

Emily nodded and pointed. "Their talking to Ms. Catherine," she said. "We're going to the park later. Mommy had to wash paint off of me. I got it from outside. It was an accident."

"An accident, huh?" he said as he handed the binoculars back. "I'll see you later, okay."

~8~

"All of them are dead," Catherine offered. "Goggle, Milander, and Greer."

"They all had a copycat," Sara said. "Or a partner? Greer had a partner."

"Maybe it's a pattern of some kind. What dates did they kill?" Greg said.

Gil rubbed his forehead. "No," he said. "We will be buried with similarities. Look at the difference."

"Well, we don't really have a Blue Paint crime scene," Sara pointed out.

"Well, the one who touched the paint was our daughter," he said to her condescendingly. "I hope we don't have one."

Sara stared at him for a beat, but then looked away. Behind them, Nick entered.

"Nick?" Catherine said. "I thought you had to be back in Los Angeles."

"I can't get back there," he said. "My license is suspended, my bank account is frozen, and my car is impounded. I can't go anywhere."

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

 **A/M: Not too too much, but I wrote it in a day so It may not be the best. Thanks and keep reviewing.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Dear Readers,**

 **I am going to have to be a little rude and ask for at least 10 reviews before I can continue. They can be criticisms too, reviews don't have to be good things. I am doing nanowrimo in November and need feedback on things. If you do not know, nanowrimo is a month-long writing contest. I am so excited for it. If I am going to do both fan fiction and that, I will need your support. I love writing CSI and I know — I hope — you love reading .**

 **P.S This story, along with a few others of mine, are all up for a fanfiction award. So are a lot of other authors! Go to the CSI Forever online website, CSI fanfiction facebook page, or CSI forever online facebook page to vote!**

 **~Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

"Are we going to the park now?" Emily asked her mother.

Sara looked down at her little girl. "Give us just a little more time and then we'll go," she answered.

Emily pouted "But it's boring here!" she complained.

Sara sighed and dug into her bag. "Do you want some chips?" she asked.

Emily thought about it but finally nodded. She walked over to the machine with her mother, pointed to the kind she wanted, and clapped her hands as she retrieved the bag. She opened the bag and sat on the couch to eat her snack.

"Mommy," Emily asked. "Why is Daddy worried?"

Sara looked at her little girl." Who said Daddy was worried?" she asked.

"I can see it," Emily replied. "He looks like he did that day when I broke my arm."

Sara smoothed her hair back. "He just… he has to think," she replied. "He has to think about things he hasn't thought about in a long time."

"What?"

"Just things."

"About the rotten paint?"

"Yeah."

"Is the paint gone?"

"Yeah, Mr. Greg and Mr. Nick washed it away."

"Who put it there?"

"We don't know," Sara said, looking down at her." that's why Daddy is worried. Because someone is putting bad paint out for people to touch."

"And it's dangerous?"

"Yes, very."

"Do we have rotten paint at our house in Alaska?" Emily asked.

Sara shook her head. "No, our paint is just fine," she answered.

"Mom, I showed Mr. Nick my binoculars," Emily said.

Sara widened her eyes. "I bet he liked them," she said.

~8~

D.B, Nick, and Brass sat in Catherine's office together. Detective Vartann had logged them into a DMV database and they were busy looking up Nick's driving record. Avery Ryan had traveled back to Quantico, but she would be in touch.

"I called the lab in LA and they're trying to vouch for me ," Nick explained. "I just don't know what to do. I mean… I had a good amount of money saved. Now, it's just vanished!"

"I think there is more to this than meets the eye," D.B pointed out. "Someone wants us all here."

Nick scratched his head. "On my way down here I was getting these weird calls," he said. "Like static. And my satellite radio was doing the same thing."

"Someone has us fingered," Brass said. "They know where we are, what we're doing, and who we're with. We shouldn't separate."

D.B leaned back. "What about the Sara's little girl?" he asked. "She touched the blue paint."

Brass pursed his lips. "They shouldn't be in a hotel," he said.

~8~

"My house is your house," Catherine said as she keyed into her home. "Mom has an apartment in the back, and Lindsey will come and go; she has her own place. It's been awhile since I've had kids around."

Emily looked around Catherine's living room. "It's really clean?" she remarked sweetly as she set her suitcase down. "We have a brown spot on our carpet because I spilled a bucket of mud."

Catherine smiled at the little girl. "What were you doing with mud?" she asked.

"Making mud pies," she answered innocently.

"Thanks for opening your home to us, Catherine," Gil said, changing the topic.

In his carrier, Ethan began to whimper. Sara set down the carrier and lifted him out of it. She laid him on her shoulder and rubbed his back gently. Catherine walked over to admire the baby. She stroked his fine hair and admired his tiny nose.

"Not a problem," she said. "it'll be good for me to have a baby around. Children are wonderful."

"Yeah, but they can wear you down," Sara laughed as she sat down with the baby. "It's all worth it though."

"Daddy, are we going to the park?" Emily asked, taking Gil's hand and swinging his arm back and forth. "You said we'd go to a park so I could play."

Gil looked to Sara and she nodded at him. They did promise her that they'd visit a park, but that was before she had touched the paint. They wanted to be able to keep a sharp eye on her, but breaking a promise to Emily Grissom was something you didn't do.

"Yeah, Emmy," Gil said. "We'll go to a park for a little while."

~8~

Before sunset, Gil and Sara took Emily to one of the more popular children's parks. It was crowded with families and guarded by security. It was also fenced in, but they still walked the perimeter — their eyes never leaving their daughter as she played. Ethan was in a stroller that they navigated over the rubber playground flooring.

"I'm glad we brought her," Sara said, hoping to lighten the mood. "She's anxious."

Gil didn't answer and Sara could see that his jaw was clenched nervously. She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. He squeezed back, but kept his eyes trained on Emily.

"She knows you're worried about something," she said. "Why don't you go play with her?"

Gil thought about it, but shook his head. "I need to be watching," he replied.

"Let's not let this affect us," Sara said. "We can't change our family dynamic. That'll really worry her."

"How can I not worry about this?" he asked her. "Aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" she defended. "but changing her life around and acting weird isn't going to make her feel comfortable; she's really suctable to change. She's already having difficulties adapting to Ethan."

Gil stopped and turned to her. "I'd rather her not be dead!" he whispered to her.

"Jesus, Gil!" Sara said as she walked off towards where Emily was playing. "You're acting like an asshole."

As he watched her walk away, Gil felt sorry for how he had spoken to her. He knew he was acting like an asshole, but he was afraid. He was afraid that if he , for even just a moment, took his eyes off of his little girl then something terrible would happen. He knew Sara was right: they shouldn't give Emily any cause to worry, but he couldn't help it.

~8~

"Hey Mr. Nick!" Emily said as she skipped up to him. "We went to the park."

Nick had been filling out paperwork for his bank, but stopped when the little girl had walked up. He didn't know what he had done to get the child's affections, but he enjoyed the attention. He had always wanted to be a father.

"Oh yeah?" he said. "I bet it was that nice one with the airplanes."

Emily nodded. "Yep," she looked over at his paperwork. "Whatcha doing?"

Nick grinned. "Just some boring paperwork," he said.

Emily wrinkled her nose. "My mom and dad do

* * *

paperwork," she said. "We rescue animals."

"You do?" he asked, putting his pen down.

Emily nodded. "I'll bring you pictures of them to see," she said. "sometimes I get to hold them."

"What kind of animals?" Nick asked.

Emily pulled herself up into a chair across from him. "Mostly seals," she said. "but once I saw wolves and I gave some baby ducks a bath."

Nich was impressed. He had known that Sara was an animal lover and that it had been her dream to help wildlife. Seeing that Emily had parents that were so apt to include her made him view his old friends in a different perspective. They weren't only Grissom and Sara — they were this little girl's mom and dad.

"Do you have a dog?" Emily asked.

"I do, but he's back home," he said.

"Mom said that Santa might bring me a dog," the little girl said. "but I have to be 'sponsible."

"Emmy," Sara said from the doorway. "We have to go now."

Emily jumped out of her chair. "Bye, Mr. Nick!" She said as she left the room.

Nick watched as the little girl took her mother's hand and walked away. He smiled and picked up his pen. He had just mad a new, little friend.

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **A/N - well, I have to stop. It is time for 'The Big Sleep'. Please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Dear Readers,**

 **I am going to have to be a little rude and ask for at least 10 reviews before I can continue. They can be criticisms too, reviews don't have to be good things. I am doing nanowrimo in November and need feedback on things. If you do not know, nanowrimo is a month-long writing contest. I am so excited for it. If I am going to do both fan fiction and that, I will need your support. I love writing CSI and I know — I hope — you love reading .**

 **P.S This story, along with a few others of mine, are all up for a fanfiction award. So are a lot of other authors! Go to the CSI Forever online website, CSI fanfiction facebook page, or CSI forever online facebook page to vote!**

 **~Katy**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

"Okay," D.B said to the group. "Tell me about the Blue Paint Killer's MO."

Everyone was seated around the break room table and eating Chinese food from small cardboard cartons. The were discussing the different particularities of each case, but so far they haven't able to come up with anything useful.

"Well," Nick said, stabbing his chopsticks into his food and setting the box down. "Kevin Greer was the name of the original Blue Paint Killer. He had an accomplice — John Mathers."

"Did any of the others have accomplices?" D.B asked.

Everyone shook their head and Nick continued. "Mathers was found guilty of the crimes and sentenced to death. It wasn't until after the execution that we found that there was an alpha male."

"Greer would paint a railing on a college campus. The railing would always be beside a water fountain," Gil explained. "When the victim turned to wash her hands, then he would attack her while her back was turned."

"Well," D.B said. "Good thing for us that our railing wasn't built beside a fountain."

"He did make his own railing once," Catherine reminded. "He went out of his way to set a trap for a particular woman at a particular time."

"So he mainly killed women?" Lindsey asked.

"Once he killed a man by mistake," Gil said.

"This has nothing in common with the others," Nick breathed out with frustration.

"Then what are the differences?" Gil asked. "Milander killed men."

"And the other two killed women," Catherine finished.

"The Strip Stangler found his victims at a gym," Nick said. "While Blue Paint found them on college campuses."

"Two of them were motivated by an attraction towards women or a woman," Catherine said.

"But Milander was motivated by his father's murder," Gil added.

"Well, we know one thing," Lindsey said. "We don't have a body for the Blue Paint killer."

"They may not be true anymore," Greg said as he entered the room.

~8~

Gil accompanied Greg and Morgan to the scene. The campus of West Las Vegas University was familiar to him — despite the fact that he had been gone so long. It was a clear — but cold — winter day. It would have been good weather to take Emily on one of the many desert hikes to see the wildlife. Instead, his family was back at Catherine's house while he was here. Yesterday, Sara had called him an asshole and when he became upset he was prone to act like one. He didn't want things to be stressful between him and Sara, but they were headed that way. She hadn't been right, there was nothing that was beneficial to their relationship in Las Vegas.

What Greg had asked him about Sara was also weighing on him? How could he be honest to the man and say that he should have started a relationship with his wife a long time ago. Morgan Brody looked like a nice woman, and he could tell that Greg was fond of her. He had that same look on his face that he had had.

"I'm really kind of… relieved to have a body," Morgan said. "I mean, I'm glad it's not your little girl."

Someone outside of their line of work would have found her remark vicious or brutal, but the two men understood what she meant.

"Yeah," Gil said.

Greg leaned over to whisper into Morgan's ear. As he did, he caught the scent of her shampoo. The very smell of it warmed his blood on this cold afternoon and he placed a hand on the small of her back. This was uncharted territory for them, but it also warmed Morgan just the same.

"Grissom is man of very few words," he said to her.

Morgan turned to him and gave him a broad smile. "I see that," she replied.

"Can I give you two some advice?" Gil said, not turning to look at them.

"Umm…," Greg stuttered. "Sure."

"This is just a job," Gil replied. "Don't make it your life."

~8~

When Emily had woken up that morning her father was already gone and her mother was busy taking care of Ethan. After Sara had laid him down in his playpen, Emily walked over to look in at him. She didn't really see why he was getting so much attention. All he seemed to do was cry, poop, and sleep. She guessed that he was a little cute, but being a big sister was nothing like she imagined it would be.

Her parents had made her so excited to have a little brother. She had imagined that she'd get to feed him and carry him around, but all the only thing he did so far was keep her up at night and hog all the attention. Since they had left home, nobody played with her anymore.

"You're a butt," she whispered to him as she turned to walked away.

"Well, hello," she heard Catherine say as she walked into the living room. "Are you looking at your little brother?"

Emily shrugged. "He's asleep," she said. "He sleeps a lot."

"Well, babies do that. They need to grow," Catherine explained.

"Do you have a baby?" Emily asked.

"I have one baby, but she's all grown up now," Catherine said. "Ms. Lindsey is my baby. Your daddy has known Ms. Lindsey since she was a little baby."

Emily looked a little confused. "And my mommy too?" she asked.

Catherine sat on the couch. "Well, your mommy met her later," she said.

"Has my daddy know you longer than my mommy?"

"Umm… I don't know."

"Do you like my mommy?"

"Of course I do. You ask a lot of questions. "

"Mommy says I'm just curious," Emily answered. "Did mommy work with you?"

"Yes she did"

"And then she married my daddy?" Emily asked.

Catherine hesitated. "She didn't marry your daddy until much much later," she said.

"Did they love each other?"

"I… think they did," Catherine said.

"And what abou—?" Emily started.

"Emmy, that's enough questions," Sara said sweetly. "Let's go make lunch for when Daddy comes home.

Emily walked past her mother and into the kitchen. Sara offered Catherine a smile and held up her hands. Emily's curiosity could wear people out quickly.

"Sorry about that," Sara apologised. "She has a tendency to give everyone the third-degree."

"Don't apologise," Catherine said. "She's a smart kid. You and Gil are good parents."

Sara sighed. 'I hope so," she said. "She's not really adapting to her brother very well."

"She probably just needs more time," Catherine said. "She'll come around."

* * *

~8~

* * *

A/M : I need to pass out now. Good night


	17. Chapter 17

**Dear Readers,**

 **Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well. I am pretty tired, but I am excited for how everything is going. I still want to remind you guys to give my story a hug ( aka review). They are all very appreciated and I am glad to get every single one. If I do not get around to saying thank you to each of you individually — THANK YOU! I love them and when I get up I am so refreshed and energised to write more.**

 **P.S - No, Emily would NEVER hurt her brother.**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

Ben and Ashley haven't been together for too long, but already things were starting to deteriorate — they needed a change. But instead of taking a step back, Ashley recommended swinging. It was harmless fun and, could introduce enough adrenaline and spice to keep the relationship afloat.

"I can't believe you talked me into this!" Ben shouted to Ashley over the loud music that the club was blaring over its speakers.

Ashley rubbed her boyfriend's arm. "You want something more adventurous," she reminded. "What's more adventurous than sharing an ... encounter."

Ben frowned. "I just hope you're right."

~8~

Though Gil was sleeping in the same bed as Sara, things hadn't been ironed out between them. He apologized and admitted to being a jerk — something he learned to do in order to be a good husband. She accepted his apology and compromised — something she had forced herself to start doing. Yet, he still felt an odd vibe in the air and knew that she was still struggling. She had been this way after Emily had been born too, though — her mood needed to stabilize. When his phone began to ring in the early morning hours, he quickly snatched it up before it could disturb his family. They all shared Catherine's large spare bedroom. Emily slept on a blow-up mattress on the floor and Ethan lay asleep — miraculously — in his playpen.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Gil, " Catherine said. "I think he's back."

Gil sat up and raked a hand through his hair, causing it to stand up at its ends. "Who is it this time?"

"Do you remember the Kleinfelds?" she asked.

Gil stood and grabbed his jeans that were thrown over the back of a chair. "I'm on my way," he said before he hung up.

Beside him, Sara sat up on one elbow and looked at him through her stringy hair. He turned to her, opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it.

Sara sighed. "I guess you're not coming to the museum with us later," she said sleepily.

He tugged his shirt over his head. "I'll try and get done as soon as I can."

Sara rolled her eyes. "I'll be sure to tell your daughter that," she answered as she dropped her head back on the bed.

~8~

"The man is Ben Roberts," Doc. Robbins said motioning to the dead body on his slab. "And this is Ashley Compton. Ashley was found in the hotel room and Ben was found in his car. It was parked outside the hotel."

"Exactly like the Klinefelds' first murder," Gil said as he snapped on a pair of gloves.

"I know I didn't say this before, " Doc said as he began. "But it is really good to see you again. I haven't met your children yet."

"Well, we'll be around until we catch this guy," Gil answered. "I'm sure you will get a chance."

"I hope so," Doc said with a smile. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Gil chuckled. "You and me both. But I can't imagine life being the same without my kids."

~8~

"Mom," Emily said. "Isn't Daddy coming?"

Sara was packing everything into Ethan's diaper bag — all the while hoping Gil would walk through the door. She bit her lip and looked down at her daughter.

"No honey," she said as she ruffled her hair. "I think he's busy today."

Emily poked her lip out. "He promised!" she whined. "He said we could get ice-cream!"

"Baby, we can still get some ice-cream," Sara said. "And we'll bring some to daddy where he is working. Okay?"

Emily kicked the floor lightly with her toe. "Okay," she mumbled.

~8~

As promised, after leaving the museum Sara stopped for ice cream. They took the treat to the CSI headquarters to enjoy it with Gil. She sat Emily in the break-room with Ethan while she went in search of her husband. After her mother left, Emily peeked into the Baskin Robbins sack to eye the ice cream. Beside her, Ethan began to whimper and she looked at him with annoyance.

"Shh!" she said, putting her finger to her lips. "Mom will be right back. She went to get Daddy."

Ethan didn't listen, after all he was just an infant. He coughed and let out a wail. Emily put her hands over her ears and looked him angrily.

"What do you want?" she said to her brother.

She opened the baby's bag , like she had seen her mother do, and took a bottle out of its compartment. She took the cap off and offered it to the baby.

"Is this what you want?" she asked, poking the nipple into his mouth carefully. She was annoyed with him…. but that didn't mean she wanted to hurt him.

Ethan began to smack and suck the bottle that Emily was feeding him. She sighed and smiled at her brother.

"You're a butt," she said.

~8~

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Sara said when she found Gil in the garage.

Gil stepped away from the car that he was examining. "Hello Dear, how was the museum," he said, kissing her cheek when she approached him.

"Difficult," she said cooly. "The kids are in the break room. We brought some ice-cream for you."

"Okay, give me just a moment," he said, turning back to the car.

"No, now," she said more firmly than she had in a long time.

Gil straightened up and looked at her. "Okay," he said, taking off his gloves.

Sara turned and walked away from him. She hardly ever raised her voice at him, but she felt an urgency too. Exhaustion had taken her over and she needed his help. If they were at home, he wouldn't be asking her to handle things on her own.

* * *

~8~

* * *

 **I need to get ready for tomorrow folks. Remember, please encourage me to write. I appreciate feedback and motivation fro** m fans.


	18. Chapter 18

**Dear Readers,**

 **Despite my many glue-gun wounds, I am typing this story. It is currently 11 : pm kst . I am also making costumes tonight. i made four little elf hats that will have ears poking out of the sides. I am no Martha Stewart, but they aren't half bad. Please, remember to review. They brighten my day! Well, without further delay I ought to begin!**

 **Katyrye**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

Sara knew she was overwhelmed; she realized that now. When she had come to Vegas, she had hoped that they would just be consulting here or there, and she hadn't prepared for postpartum anxiety. She had suffered from it lightly after Emily had been born, but she had been at home and Gil had been there to help her through it. Now, she had two children, she wasn't home, and Gil was away too often. Still, she wished she hadn't snapped at him like she did that afternoon. She knew he was under a lot of stress, but it wasn't something she couldn't control.

On top of everything, she worried about Emily bonding with her brother. It had warmed her heart to see her bottle feed her brother, and she hoped it was the start of her learning how to be a big sister and accept this change.

"Mommy," Emily said sleepily as she pulled herself up onto the bed. "When is Daddy coming back?"

Sara looked over at her and opened her arms to her. "I'm not too sure, bug," she said. "Do you want to send him a text?"

Emily shook her head. "No, I think he's busy now," she said as she snuggled into her mother.

"Daddy's never too busy for you," Sara replied.

"He is now," Emily said. "I want to go home."

Sara sighed. "Me too, but aren't you having fun going to museums?" she asked. "And we can go see animals."

Emily looked up at her. "Can we go see Grandma Sidle?" she asked.

Sara looked at her curiously. "What made you ask me that?"

Emily buried her face into Sara's chest. "When I got the camera you said she lived in Las Vegas," she replied. "That's where we are, right?"

Sara was quiet for a moment. She hadn't spoken to her mother for a long time, but she sent her pictures of Emily. Her daughter, on the other hand, had never even seen her grandmother. She didn't know anything about her. The only thing that Emily knew was that she had a Grandma Sidle and that her name was Laura. Luckily, she had never asked about Grandpa Sidle.

"Can we go?" Emily repeated.

Sara blinked. "Of course we can go," she said.

~8~

The next day Sara took Emily to The Painted Desert Community. Emily didn't ask any questions during the drive, and Sara knew this was because she was being observant. She had told Gil that she was coming and bringing the kids and he offered to go with her, but she had abruptly turned down his offer — something she knew she would be regretting all morning.

"Does she live by herself?" Emily finally asked.

"Well, she lives in a community," Sara replied. "So, she has a few friends."

Emily looked sad. "Don't you miss your mommy?" she asked.

There were no words that Sara could think of to describe her relationship with her mother — let alone to a five-year old. Sometimes, she did miss her mother and she felt like she missed out by not having a mother teach her how to be a mother.

"We talk on the phone," she answered. "And we send each other pictures."

Emily fell silent again as Sara parked.

~8~

"Now," her mother said as she buttoned a button on Emily's blouse. "Don't be nervous."

Emily looked confused. "I'm not nervous," she answered.

Her mom smiled and adjusted Ethan in his papoose. "Good," she said as she put her hand on the knob.

When Emily walked in, the first thing she noticed was the shape of a woman sitting by the window. She looked around the room and noticed that it looked like a hospital room, but there were pictures of a little girl — one that looked like her — and the picture of her holding Ethan, on a table near the bed.

"Mom?" her mother said. "Look who is here to see you."

The woman turned and Emily saw that the woman looked like her mother but a lot older. The woman stood carefully and held out a hand to her.

"Oh my God," she said. "Emily!"

Emily was a little afraid because she had never met this woman, yet she seemed to know her. Her mother put a hand on her shoulder and walked forward with her.

"Hi, Grandma Sidle," she said.

Her Grandma bent down and put a hand on Emily's cheek. "You are so pretty," she said. "You look just like your mother did."

Emily smiled. "Thank you," she said.

~8~

They stayed and visited with Laura for a few hours. It went a lot better than Sara thought it would. Emily seemed to enjoy meeting her grandma and even hugged her more than once. Laura even held Ethan for a little while.

When it was time to go, Emily kissed her grandmother and Sara let her out into the hallway. She hadn't spoken to her mother much during her visit, but wanted Emily out of earshot when she did.

"Thank you," Laura said to her.

Sara smiled. "Emmy wanted to meet you," she said.

She didn't know what else she could say. People say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn't. It only makes things more confusing sometimes because of a lack of answers.

"Sara," Laura said, taking her hand. "I miss you. I'm so sorry about things. I want to be part of your life."

Sara brushed a tear away before Laura could notice. "We'll come back again before we leave," she promised.

~8~

After Emily went to sleep that night, Sara sat up at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. She had so many things going through her mind and she didn't know which thought needed the most attention: her marriage, her children, the killer, or her mother. She looked up when she heard the front door open and was relieved that it was Gil and not Catherine.

"You made it back," she said cooly.

Gil nodded. "I did," he took a seat across from her and reached to take her hand.

Sara let him take her hand and she felt tears well up behind her eyes. "Gil, I'm just so tired," she finally said.

"I know you are," he said. "How can I help you?"

Sara shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "I can't seem to… think straight."

"I'll take the kids tomorrow," he said. "Don't worry about them. You can go to the lab and reconnect with the guys. Or you can go get a massage. Just …. go take a break."

Sara continued to cry, not out of sadness or stress, but of having such a loving partner. Though they had imperfect moments, they were perfect for each other.

* * *

~8~

* * *

A/M: I had a lot more, but I need a shower. So far in my reviews I have read Morganders requests… I WROTE it down, but it isn't in this chapter but the next. Anyone else…..? Can get any WEDGES in here, but maybe Nick/Mandy. Okay, REVIEW! TIME 12: 14 ... yes, this is my flaw. I think it is impressive how fast I can write out a story.


	19. Chapter 19

**Dear Readers,**

 **Despite my many glue-gun wounds, I am typing this story. It is currently 11 : pm kst and I wrote this chapter on my break time. I am also making costumes tonight. i made four little elf hats that will have ears poking out of the sides. I am no Martha Stewart, but they aren't half bad. Please, remember to review. They brighten my day! Well, without further delay I ought to begin!**

 **Katyrye**

* * *

 **~8~**

* * *

When Emily woke up the next morning, she was surprised to see her father standing at the stove flipping pancakes. He had his back turned to her and she decided that a sneak attack was her best offense. She tiptoed up behind him and then threw her arms around his waist.

"I got you, Daddy!" she laughed.

Gil laughed. "Oh no! You got me!"

He slid the last pancake onto the platter and turned to pick up his daughter. With her balance of his hip, he carried the platter to the table and set it down.

"Where's Mommy at?" Emily asked.

"Oh, she'll be back this afternoon," he said as he set her in a chair.

Ethan was sitting on the table in his carrier. His eyes were open, but he was quiet. Emily picked up a fork and stabbed into the pancake her father put on her plate.

"I saw Grandma Sidle," she said. "She's old."

"Oh yeah?" Gil chuckled.

"Where's your mommy?" she asked.

Gil sat back. "My mommy is in a better place," he said as he smoothed her hair.

"Like Heaven?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah," he answered. "Your middle name is 'Elizabeth'. That was her name, but everyone called her 'Betty'."

"Do you miss her?" the little girl innocently asked.

Gil nodded. "Yeah, but she had a good life. She did a lot of things."

"I hope Mommy doesn't die," Emily said as she put more food in her mouth.

"Mommy isn't going to die," Gil said.

Emily looked sad. "What if she does?" she asked.

"Well, Mommy is very healthy," he replied. "but let's not think about things like that today. Let's have a fun day, okay?"

Emily nodded. "I love pancakes," she said as a way of asking for more.

~8~

Sara wanted to wait until after breakfast to head out to the lab, but Catherine had said they were going to have a meeting regarding the latest developments in the case. She headed out early and took a moment to enjoy a cup of coffee before going inside. It was so nostalgic being back in the parking lot that she half expected to see Gil's old BMW parked in its once-usual spot.

After she finished she went into the building. The locker room was full of day-shift employees that she did not know. Slowly she walked down the hallway, looking in rooms as she went. Finally, she heard a voice from the past.

"I figured you'd be around sooner or later," Hodges said.

Slowly she turned. "Hello Hodges," she said with a smile. "How have you been?"

"Just fine, thanks for asking," he said. "I'm sure you heard Conrad Ecklie and Mother got married. So, now not only do I have to put up with their shenanigans, I also have a sister."

Sara shook her head. "I didn't hear that Hodges," she said. "Congratulations."

"Well, if Morgan marries Sanders, like I predict, then I'll have another goon to deal with," he replied.

Sara smiled. "One big happy family," she said.

~8~

"I'm sure you all know that the Copycat Killer has now copied the Klinefelds," Catherine said to everyone. "If you don't know they were a husband and wife team of serial killers. Mainly they targeted couples who were a little … risque in their sex life."

"This crime scene looked almost identical to the first," Nick said. "Wife dead in the room and husband dead in the car — his throat slit."

Greg laid all of the photos on the table. "This makes four," he said. "So far, all we've been doing is standing in this room reminiscing about each case. There isn't anything to go on."

"The scariest part is we can't leave," Nick said. "I can't get my liscence sorted out and my bank has no idea who has frozen my account. Honestly, I'm afraid to see what this man's motive is."

"Maybe this killer's motives are the same as the other's," Lindsey offered. "Maybe that's why he is copying them."

"Milander's motive was his father's murder," Sara reminded. "Blue Paint and Strip Strangler wanted to control women. The Klinefelds just got a sick thrill from it."

"I don't think thrill is this guy's angle," Nick said.

"Aren't these killers all dead?" Sara asked.

Everyone paused for a moment and thought about it. If Sara remembered correctly, the Klinefelds had been murdered by a vigilante court clerk, Paul Milander killed himself, Syd Goggle was killed by Catherine, Kevin Greer suffocated himself, and John Mathers died by lethal injection.

"I think you're on to something there," D.B said to her. "Maybe… death is the motive."

"The death of someone or to cause death?" Lindsey asked.

Everyone looked from one to the other. Was it possible that one of them was the intended target?

"I don't know," Catherine said to her.

"Well, now we have something to go on," D.B said. "Who out there has a vendetta for someone they've lost."

"And who do they hold responsible for it?" Sara added.

~8~

"So, do you really think Sara has a point with all that 'aren't these killers dead' thing?" Morgan asked Greg.

Greg shut his locker and shrugged. "She could," he said. "I mean… she is pretty smart and we have nothing to go on."

"Her kid is pretty smart too," she added. "I bet her first word was 'combustible' or something like that."

Greg snickered. "Knowing Sara, it was probably 'groovy' or something," he said.

Morgan raised her eyebrows. "Hodges told me that you were once in love with Sara," she said.

Greg smiled. "All of us have been," he said. "Even him."

Morgan laughed at him. "Do you still have feelings for her?" she asked.

Greg shook his head. "No way," he said. "I love her like a friend, but she's always been _in_ love with Grissom. You could always tell. There was always this… tension in the room."

"Like the tension I feel when I'm near you," Morgan said.

Greg shut his locker. "Exactly like that," he said without missing a beat.

He turned for the door, but then then turned back to her. "I have to go on a quick call, but when I get back let's go get something to eat."

Morgan gave him a loving smile. "I'll be waiting," she said.

~8~

Sara didn't stay at the lab long after the meeting. Though she was enjoying her quiet time, she didn't know what to do. She had been out of Vegas for so long — and not to mention she was now a mother — that she didn't know what to do. When she walked back into Catherine's house and opened the front door, she was immediately greeted with the the biggest blanket fort she had ever seen in her life. Blankets were propped up on chairs, shut into drawers, and supported with books.

"What's up?" she said.

Emily emerged from one side of the tent. "Oh, hi mommy!" she said.

Sara smiled. "So, what have you guys been doing?" she asked.

Emily held out her arms in presentation. "We made a fort!" she said. "Daddy's making popcorn for our food. You can come in if you want."

Sara set down her purse. "Okay," she said as she got down on her hands and knees.

When she entered, Sara ducked her head and crawled until she was in the middle of the fort. A bowl of popcorn was soon pushed into the fort and Emily followed it with Gil behind her.

"I didn't know we were having company," he said with a smile.

"Daddy, get the plates out," Emily said. "we have a guest."

"Oh," he said as handed her a stack of invisible plates.

"Thank you," Sara said as she took one.

Ethan's small cry echoed through the house moments after Sara put the first kernel in her mouth. Emily let out a moan and dropped her invisible plate.

"The little butt is awake," she said.

Gil raised his eyebrows at her. "He's a butt?" he asked.

Emily nodded. "A big poopy butt," she muttered.

Sara held back her smile. "Why is he a big poopy butt?" she asked.

"Cause, I'm _trying_ to play with you guys and he's crying," she said seriously.

"Bug, he can't help it. He's brand new in this world," Gil said. "Nothing makes any sense to him. He doesn't understand what cold is, or hungry, or pain. He's confused."

Emily thought about this for a moment. "I guess I understand," she whispered.

"Come on," Sara said as she patted Emily's knee. "Daddy and I will show you a few tricks to relax him, okay."

~8~

Greg drove down the strip, listening to the radio and singing along with the music softly. He hadn't told anybody, but he had begun to wonder if remaining a CSI was the right choice for him. Now that he had seen Sara, Gil, and their children, he started to feel a deep need to have a family of his own.

And he knew just who he wanted to start a life with — Morgan Brody.

Of course if things worked out between, them he would be related to Ecklie and Hodges, but he was willing to risk it. Gil had been right, there was more to life than this job. It had given him the thrills and mental stimulation that he needed when he was young, but now it was time for something more.

He finally reached his destination and pulled into the parking lot. He retrieved his familiar kit from the back, tested it's weight, and decided that he was tired of carrying it.

"Hey Larry," Greg said as he walked up.

"Hey, Greg," he said as he lifted the tape. "We got some suspicious… body parts here."

"What?" Greg asked as he approached the area that Larry was pointing.

In the middle of the lot, he saw a coil of intestine and marked it with a crime scene marker.

"This is just gorgeous," he sighed as he snapped a photo of it.

Next to it was a plastic, sealed crime scene bag. It contained only on piece of evidence: a styrofoam cup. His eyes widened with the realization of what was happening, but when he turned, it was too late.

* * *

~8~

* * *

A/M : Sorry to leave it here, but I need to go to bed. i have a full day of play practice, and teaching, and… alone… and korea. So, please review to keep my spirits up. Thank you for all of your support. You can find me on facebook. Just look up katyrye.


	20. Chapter 20

**Dear Readers,**

 **After a long hiatus, I have chosen to take a break from mentally checking into life on a 24/7 basis. I need to update, not only for myself but for my readers. I have been myself craving to write for the past few weeks, but my job is very demanding. I saw that I have a lot of new readers and I hope I haven't lost any. Thank you for hanging on. I still have so many new ideas cooking in my mind.**

 **P.S - I having a hard time learning how to balance this workload. I have a lot more responsibility this year. I love it, but I recognize that I have an obligation to write for you as well as for myself. Any tips will be very welcome. I love you all, and I pray that you're day is well.**

 **P.S.S - I am thinking of doing a version where GSR is sans children. I really don't think they would have had kids. It is just my opinion now that I am actually older. If it was me, I would have been too tired.**

* * *

~8~

* * *

"Have any of you seen Greg?" Morgan asked, poking her head into the break room.

Each person looked from one to the other.

"Umm… no," Catherine said. "You guys have a date?"

Morgan ignored her question. "It's only that he's been gone for a while now," she explained. "It isn't like him to leave a scene without even reporting back. I mean, he's always pretty punctual about keeping in touch."

Nick stood. "I'm sure it's just taking longer than he though," he assured. "He'll probably be in in just a few moments."

Though he was trying to sound calm for the sake of Morgan and everyone else in the room, Nick did not feel assurance. There was something in the back of his mind that felt all too familiar.

And he hoped he was wrong.

~8~

"Raise your arm just a little to support his head," Sara explained to Emily as she gently raised the little girl's arm up. "A baby has a very delicate neck and can't hold his head up."

It was these small, precious moments that Sara loved. These moments where the only ones she was surrounded by were the only ones who really mattered — her family. Currently, they were showing Emily how to rock her brother and to burp him.

"He really needs a lot of stuff," Emily commented with a small sigh.

Gil chuckled at her. "He's a little helpless right now," he said. "he needs all of us."

Sara smoothed Ethan's head. The small, baby-soft hairs felt velvety under her palm. She let her mind float back to when her and Gil had been new parents. They were scared and insecure about their parenting abilities, but when she was settled down — with her sweet girl in her arms — she felt peace.

"Mommy, he stinks," Emily said, turning to hand the baby to her mother.

Sara took Ethan. As he was exchanged from sister to mother, he gurgled his opinion about having his peace disturbed. He waved a tiny, mittened hand in the air and Sara took him to the bedroom where she laid him down.

Emily jumped out of the chair she had been sitting in. "Can I go play in the backyard with my new truck?" she asked.

Gil hesitated. He didn't like letting her leave his sight, but the yard was surrounded by a high fence and they would be able to see her from the large, bay window in the living room.

"Don't leave the yard," Gil warned.

Emily grabbed her truck quickly and headed out. Gil turned his attention to Sara, who was lost in the process of cleaning Ethan. Something had gotten damaged during their trip to Vegas, but he didn't know what it was. He loved his wife. She was his best friend and his partner in life. He felt that if she was by his side, then he could do anything.

"What can I do for you today?" he asked.

Sara paused a moment. "I'm not sure," she said. "I don't mean to sound cold. I'm not actually sure what I need. I just feel… so disconnected."

"We have a lot going on right now," he told her gently as he placed his hand on her waist. "I'm here for you. You don't have to do anything alone anymore."

In the course of their relationship, Gil found himself having to occasionally remind her that she wasn't alone.

"I know you're here," she said to him. "Sometimes I don't want you to be though. I feel like a mess. I feel like I'm falling into a deep hole and I don't know what to do."

For the first time since Ethan had been born, Sara let herself break down. It was if finally admitting that she felt out-of-control had been the catalyst. Through her tears, she saw Ethan wriggle and raise one of his small hands. She reached down to scoop him up, but Gil was faster than her. When he had his son settled and safe, he turned to his wife.

"Do you remember when we became an item?" he asked, putting an arm around her playfully and squeezing her into his side.

Sara let out a laugh, sniffled, and wiped her eyes. "Of course," she said. "I don't think I'd ever been as surprised in all of my life. Such a simple but powerful sentence."

"And lame," he added. " 'Hey, maybe we should…. ya know… date or something'. Almost as bad as my marriage proposal."

Sara smiled. "It wasn't really what you said, it was the way you said it," she pointed out.

Gil felt the energy change between them. She was slowly coming back to herself, but he knew it would take patience.

"How did I say it?" he asked her.

"Nervously," she said as she looked at him with a smile. "And very hesitantly. Like you didn't know you already had me."

"Daddy!" Emily yelled from the kitchen. "Come play with me!"

~8~

When Greg woke up, he couldn't make out anything in front of his face. All he could see was blackness. He tried to sit up, but his head quickly collide with something hard.

"Ow!" he hissed as he rubbed his head.

He felt something warm and sticky on the back of his head, and it took him a moment to realize that it was blood. When the realization hit him, the feeling in his head began to return. He raised his hands to feel for what had struck him. He discovered that he could only raise his hands a few inches. He felt above him, and along the sides of himself.

"What?" he said to him as he started to breath faster.

~8~

"Ms. Willows!" Margaret, a receptionist that had only been employed for a few months, called when Catherine strolled into the hallway. "This package just arrived for you."

Catherine accepted the manila envelope that was extended to her. "From whom?" she asked after she examined it.

Margaret looked hesitant. "I… I'm not sure," she said. "It was dropped off with the other mail. It had no postage mark."

Catherine shook the envelope and felt around. There was a noticeable bulge and she carried the package into her office for further inspection. Something in the back of her mind knew that this situation was all too familiar. This had happened before, and slowly the memories of the past began to trickle to the front of her mind.

Quickly she donned a pair of gloves, took a photo of the package with her plone, and cut the envelope open. She did not tear where it was sealed because she did not want to contaminate any potential evidence.

"What's that?" Nick asked as he walked into the office.

He had seen Catherine accept the package, and the dooming feeling that he had urged him to follow her. He knew something was wrong, he knew that it was about the Copycat Killer, and he knew that Greg was in danger.

"I'm not sure," she said, turning the envelope upside down and shaking a cassette tape out onto her open hand.

That was when— without a doubt — she knew what was going on. She pushed past Nick and walked quickly to the layout room with the tape clutched in her gloved fist.

"I need a tape deck!" She called out to no one in particular.

~8~

Gil and Sara rushed to the lab as soon as they had gotten D.B's message. Memories of Nick's kidnapping flooded back to both of them. The first time this had happened, it had been a race against the clock. Now, they had their hopes on how similar the crimes were. However, there was that one fact — something was always different. What would that one thing be this time?

"We have Brass and Catherine in route to the nursery," Nick said when they both rushed into the building.

Though both Gil and Sara were both wrought with worry, it was Nick that could truly feel empathy for Greg. He could feel the claustrophobia and isolation of being in the coffin.

Gil put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hopefully this time we have more of an advantage," he said.

~8~

Morgan had jumped into the explorer with Brass and Catherine before they could object. She wasn't thinking clearly anymore, and desperation had taken control. As they weaved through traffic with a police escort, it dawned on Morgan that she didn't know everything about her friends. She never thought to ask anyone about Nick's kidnapping or even Sara's. Her life with them began when she started her work contract. Now, she was learning that each of them had scars associated with their careers and the copycat killer was bringing up more than case files — it was bringing up emotions.

"Everything has changed," Catherine said as she noted their surroundings.

Brass unfolded a map that they had retrieved from the groundskeeper. "Let's hope this isn't one of the factors our copycat decided to change," he said as they climbed out of the vehicle.

Morgan could hear everyone speaking, but none of what they were saying was making any sense to her. Brass and Catherine began to run with a group of officers towards a group of young trees and they began to push soil aside with their hands.

She sank to her knees as well and began to claw the dirt away with her fingers. The dug into the ground furiously, the sound of her own heartbeat thudding in her ears.

"Greg!" She screamed out.

"Something's wrong," Catherine said. "Nick was closer to the surface than this. We'd have felt the coffin by now!"

Morgan ignored her and continued to dig. Beside her, Brass pulled his two-way radio to his mouth. "We're not finding anything in the original location," he said. "Have Gil bring the GPR!"

The GPR was a new too that the lab had acquired, though they had used it before. It stood for Ground Penetrating Radar. It was more useful than a metal detector in this case because the coffin they were looking for, though it has some metal parts, was glass.

"Don't stop digging!" Morgan exclaimed as her attempt became more furious.

"I know you want to find him," Catherine said as she clutched the young woman's arm and pulled her to her feet. "But we would have scratched the surface by now. We need to look over the rest of the property."

Morgan reluctantly let her friend tug her away — after all, she had lived this situation before. The only thing her mind's eye could see was the face of her friend, and how she now knew that he had always been so much more.

* * *

 **~8~**

 **Hey folks. As I said above, thanking for liking and following me. I am so sorry, but I teach a lot here, I am trying to learn an instrument, and I am really tired a lot. Everything is happy with my life, but thanks for your patience.**


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